A Friend: A Hiddlesworth AU fic
by sangoamaya
Summary: Chris, a widower, lived in Alma, Nebraska with his son Alex. And then Tom stumbled into their lives unexpectedly. Little did Chris and his son know that Tom was no ordinary friend. In fact, he was invisible and only they could see him. Inspiration drawn from Cecelia Ahern's If You Could See Me Now. Tom Hiddleston / Chris Hemsworth
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is my first Hiddlesworth AU fic! Please be kind :) Inspiration drawn from Cecelia Ahern's If You Could See Me Now.**

* * *

_What do you do when the world abandons you? You continue holding your head up high. You pick yourself up and dust yourself off. You mind your own business. You shut yourself away because let's face it, the world thinks you're a waste of space anyways. Life isn't easy when everyone has turned their back to you. _

_Does it get lonely? Does it get frustrating?_

_Of course it fucking does._

_But you've got to live still. Life isn't a bed of roses and suicide ain't going be the answer. Perhaps this time, you just have to find something worth living for._

* * *

Chris turned the stove on as he placed a pan on it. He cracked an egg into the pancake batter and patiently stirred the mixture. Grabbing a stick of butter from his left, he tossed it into the heated pan. It sizzled and spattered as he worked the batter. He lifted the whisk to check the consistency of the batter before pouring some into the pan. Wiping off the bead of perspiration trailing down his face, Chris shouted, "Alex! Time to get up! I made pancakes!"

He shouted for his son again and proceeded to bang a long stick that he has always kept in the kitchen against the ceiling. "Wake up!"

It worked. Chris could hear rustling above his head and slight footsteps on the upper floor.

"Brush your teeth before you come down!"

Within 15 minutes Chris made 10 pancakes neatly stacked into a golden tower. He washed up, tied his dirty blonde hair in a bun and realised Alex still wasn't down. Throwing the washcloth into the sink, he bounded up the stairs. He checked Alex's room and found it empty. He approached the closed bathroom door knocked on it gently.

"Alex? You in there?"

Silence.

Chris clicked his tongue before trying the door. As he threw the door open, he caught sight of Alex snoozing on the toilet with his pants halfway down his legs.

"Alex? Wake up," he said, ruffling his son's hair. Alex whimpered as he rubbed his eyes.

"Come on buddy. Finish up. Come down quick before the pancakes grow cold okay?" Chris said gently before pulling away, leaving the bathroom.

If this was a year ago, Chris would have yelled and made a big deal out of it. He would have banged the door, toss Alex into the tub and turn on the cold water just to punish him for being tardy. But that was a year ago and everything has changed within these 12 months.

It has been a year since Coraline died. 12 months without a woman in a house. Chris had to pick himself up and learn not only to be a mother to Alex but to take care of himself. He was so used to Coraline taking care of him that her sudden departure made him realise how pampered he was – how much they have taken her for granted. He learnt to be much more patient and gentler. He learnt to be more giving and reasonable.

He wanted to leave this old house but something held him back. Was it fear? He wasn't entirely sure. But one thing that he was sure of was that he didn't want Alex to grow up in somewhere unfamiliar - in a place where he can't feel his mom's presence. He wanted the best for his son even if it kills him and so they stayed.

Alex shuffled into the kitchen with his frayed jeans and light blue cotton shirt. He flicked his eyes to Chris who was busy devouring his own stack of pancakes. He sat down, picked up his utensils and began to eat.

"Dad, I'm going to play outside okay?" Alex wiped his mouth onto the sleeves of his shirt. He pushed back his plate painted with remnants of butter and maple syrup before disappearing through the back door.

"Don't play too far! You know I can't see you in that cornfield!" Chris shouted even though he knew that it would fall onto deaf ears.

Like every other morning after breakfast, Chris would go around the house to pick up the dirty clothes. When Coraline was around she made sure everyone dropped theirs into the laundry basket in the bathroom. But ever since the rats had chewed into it, Chris hadn't found the time to find its replacement after throwing it out.

The washer beeped chirpily as Chris dumped everything in. He poured the detergent in, checked the setting and closed it. The machine whirred and hummed while Chris searched for his work boots. His feet slid into them before he grabbed the rifle placed high on the shelf above the fireplace.

The farm was the only thing left from his family. He inherited it after his parents died a few years before he married Coraline. Chris placed the rifle on his shoulder casually as he swept his gaze across the cornfield. From the corner of his eye he could make out Alex skipping into the cornfield.

Chris wished he was able to leave this forsaken town and farm behind but alas farming was his only skill. It was the only way he knew how to provide for Alex and himself. And of course there's the house.

Today was no different from yesterday. He checked the irrigation pipes to make sure they weren't bent or spoiled. It wasn't harvesting period yet and it won't be for the next few weeks.

Chris could hear Alex giggling and running around although he was nowhere in sight. He had never been protective but ever since Coraline's death, his protective instincts heightened.

"Alex! Don't go too far!"

"Yes Dad!" Alex replied, his voice distant.

Chris knew he had to let the boy play by himself. No point trying to shield him so much when it will hinder the boy's development. Heading towards the barn, he started to pick up an axe and some uncut firewood. He was about to head out when he noticed an oil leak in one of the tractors. Chris groaned, dropped the wood and the axe and searched for his tools.

* * *

Tom grumbled. He hated being lost. Who wouldn't? The sense of uneasiness started to creep up his neck causing him to feel jumpy and agitated. The road ahead of him was long and winding. He cursed silently at the scorching sun. His shoes were starting to get uncomfortable and sticky.

As much as he appreciates nature, he could never understand why people live so far away from each other here in Alma, Nebraska. He had been in Nebraska for the past few years now and although he wanted to visit other places, he's still stuck here. He was needed here.

You see, Tom was no ordinary man with an ordinary occupation. Rather, he was quite extraordinary. His job was to help people. Specifically help lonely beings to feel less lonely and befriend them. Thereafter he has to ensure that the friends he makes make other friends. And that is when his purpose is fulfilled. The cycle goes on and after each cycle, he will wander off till he finds someone who is in need of a friend.

Tom landed in Nebraska 3 years ago when his friend, Dylan moved here to Nebraska from Arkansas. He thought with the change of atmosphere and surroundings, Dylan would need more of him.

But alas he was wrong.

Within a week, Dylan made other friends in school and Tom was forgotten and became invisible again. So he wandered off and found Troy. Troy was only ten years old then and was bullied badly. Tom stayed by Troy's side for almost a year before the poor boy was sent for psychiatric evaluation because his parents thought he was going 'mental' for talking to himself. And then Troy began to forget about him too. He missed Troy terribly.

Tom tried to befriend girls but they were mostly wary and prefer the same gender.

"Tom!" a voice called out. Tom whirled. He grinned, baring his teeth as he waved.

"Alice! You're here too!" He usually doesn't meet his fellow colleagues when they are 'on the field'.

"Yes, yes. Wow, this is so strange, seeing each other outside of the headquarters!" Alice said. She shrugged and patted the back of her neck. The sun wasn't kind on her as well it seems. She had her favourite light yellow dress on, coupled with a pair of black ballet flats.

"Your case was closed?" Tom asked. It was the only explanation why she was wandering about like he does.

Alice nodded and shifted her weight to another foot. "Yeah. Little Suzy found a new playmate when her mom got her into a new school… Then she stopped seeing me."

Tom patted her shoulder in response, he felt her pain. Losing a friend was never easy - especially if they have snitched themselves into your hearts. And the worst thing for them was when their friends stopped seeing them. They literally become invisible and it's time for them to move on.

Alice half-smiled. "I hope we find new friends Tom."

"I hope we do. No point drifting around this town with no friends. Ruby wouldn't be happy."

Ruby was their overall in charge. The 'big boss' you might say. Every week during their meetings in Pudemaerd (the headquarters), everyone would have to report on their cases to Ruby and she would determine how much time is left with the case. Most of the time Ruby is accurate but there are cases where she's not. But most of these cases were children and it only takes about 3-5 months till they're closed. Adult cases were often gauged by the proximity of their livelihood since most of them were old.

Alice shrugged. "I'll see you back in Pudemaerd soon?" Tom nodded and waved her goodbye.

Tom had been walking for an hour now. All he could see was acres and acres of corn ahead of him. Despite being in Nebraska for three years, he had never ventured out to a cornfield before. All of his friends mostly played inside and were not allowed to go into the fields. Suddenly feeling curious and excited (but a teeny bit afraid), he started to deviate from the road. He didn't know what to expect but the probability of him experiencing something new made him uncontrollably excited.

The further he walked, the more confused he became. The cornfield he ventured into didn't seem to end. Tom stopped, bending down with his hands on his knees. He was covered in perspiration from head to toe and felt sticky all over. Tom was beginning to regret his decision when someone tugged his pants from behind. He immediately turned and found himself looking down at a boy about the age of 7.

"Are you lost?" the boy asked, eyeing Tom curiously.

Tom shrugged and wiped a bead of perspiration from his brow. "Well, where am I?"

"You're in my father's cornfield."

"Of course I am…" Tom muttered to himself. And then he realised. The boy can see him! He has found another case!

"What's your name?" Tom asked, crouching down.

"Alex. Alex Hemsworth." He fidgeted with his toy aeroplane in one hand as he continued to watch Tom warily.

"Hi Alex!" Tom greeted him cheerfully. He stretched before sitting down, cross-legged on the floor.

"Judging from the stare that you are now giving me, I believe your parents must have told you not to talk to strangers," Tom lamented. He hated this part of his job. The first step when making friends is always awkward and scary. And most of the time, the children would hesitate. But they will always relent. They needed him.

Alex shrugged. Tom pointed to Alex's toy aeroplane. "I love aeroplanes! What is it called?"

Tom could see Alex letting his guard down. "His name is Arrow!" Alex replied. He sat in front of Tom and began to talk about his favourite toys.

* * *

The leaking tractor was fixed 2 hours ago. Chris placed a foot on the pedestal that was used to hack wood. Bracing himself, he proceeded to hack down a piece of firewood. He scrutinised the pile of firewood to his right and decided that it was enough for tonight. His stomach growled as he dropped the axe and began to collect the firewood into his arms. The day was darkening and he realised Alex wasn't back at the house.

_Where is he? Why is he not back yet?_

Dropping the wood onto the porch, Chris decided to find Alex. Worst thoughts began to fleet through his mind and Chris began to grow uneasy.

"Alex! Come on buddy! It's sun down! Come back home!" he bellowed. There was no reply but he could hear his son's giggle. He walked further in and Alex's giggles became louder.

"Alex!" Chris called, his voice almost pleading. Alex immediately stopped laughing. He turned and grinned. It has been such a long time since his smiled reached up to his eyes. His smile warmed Chris' heart.

"Dad! Meet my new friend To –" Alex's brows furrowed when he found that no one was there. "But… but he was just here a moment ago!"

"Who was here a moment ago?" Chris asked defensively, momentarily forgetting Alex's smile.

"My friend, Tom! He was telling me a joke when you came!"

Chris scanned the field and saw nothing. If there was someone hiding in between the stalks, he would have spotted him. But there was nothing. Immediately feeling violated, he snatched Alex's toys and hauled his son up.

"I don't want you to play here anymore. It's dangerous! And what did I tell you about talking to strangers?!"

Alex frowned and his eyes began to water as Chris prodded him to move along. But at the corner of Alex's eyes, he could see a pair of blue eyes twinkling at him behind the cornstalks.


	2. Chapter 2

It didn't take long for Alex to become best friends with Tom. Despite warnings from his father, Alex still ventured out to the cornfield, bringing a wheel-cart full of his toys with him. They would play till sun down – till Chris comes searching for his son who was always making aeroplane noises, laughing by himself.

Chris didn't thought of anything until today. He supposed Alex talking to himself was just a normal phase of childhood that he needn't worry. But today was different. Today, Chris was genuinely worried.

It began during breakfast. Alex woke up without much hassle and as he shuffled into the kitchen, he dragged an old stool from behind the washer and placed it beside their usual battered dining table that only sat for two.

"Why did you do that for?" Chris asked, holding out a piece of toast towards the stool.

Alex replied, "It's for my friend Tom. It's not nice for him to sit on the floor while we have breakfast."

Chris was stunned. "I'm sorry – who?!" He leaned forward, dropping his toast back into his plate. He scanned the room but saw nothing.

"Tom!" Alex said exasperatedly. "Sheesh Dad, sometimes you just don't listen!" Alex jumped off his seat, opened the drawer and withdrew a plate. He placed it on the table and began to load it with two pieces of toast. Then he clumsily slathered them with jam and butter.

"Eat!" he commanded to thin air, pushing the plate forward. The entire time, Chris gaped. Alex took no notice of it. He did the same to his toast and started to bite into them. Chris couldn't help but stare at the plate and the empty stool.

"Dad," Alex said, washing down his toast with orange juice. "It's rude to stare!"

Chris bit back a retort. He wanted to assure his son that there was no one there and the toast will be breakfast for the flies but he decided against it. He had read somewhere that kids usually have imaginary friends but couldn't remember how to deal with it. He made a mental note to ask around and then shuddered at the thought of that. It wasn't like Chris was socially awkward. Ever since Coraline's death and the cause of it was revealed, everyone had seemed to look at him differently – treated him differently. Like he was some disease.

The clanging of utensils on the other side of the table snapped Chris back to reality.

"We're gonna go upstairs and play Dad! Tom wants to see my aeroplane collection!" Alex chirped, bouncing off his seat and ran up the stairs.

Chris gulped as he stared at the untouched plate of toast – he needs to know more about Alex's behaviour. Period.

* * *

Tom couldn't help but chuckle at Alex's dad. Chris seemed mortified when Alex announced his presence. This happens every single time with every one of his cases. The parents will widen their eyes in horror as they try to see something that is invisible to them and stare at the supposed space, waiting for things to move. And Tom enjoys every minute of it because it's fun to watch their funny faces.

Alex was no different from any of the children that Tom had met. He was in desperate need for attention and loved talking about his toys and playing pretend.

"I'm sorry about my Dad just now," Alex said sheepishly to Tom. "He can be… weird sometimes."

Tom shrugged but was surprised as well. This was the first time someone apologised to him on behalf of their parents. Usually they would complain and resent the fact that the adults couldn't see him. He couldn't help but smile. Alex wasn't an ordinary 7 year old after all.

"Hey. No worries about that. I'm used to it," Tom assured him. He took a small aeroplane which was painted blue and white and started to make noises. He stretched out his arm and made the aeroplane narrowly miss the one in Alex's hands. Alex giggled and dodged. "You'll never crash into me!"

They played for a few more minutes before they heard Chris coming up the stairs.

"Alex? Get dressed. We're going grocery shopping."

* * *

Tom stayed behind and assured Alex that he will be fine. On their way to the town's Walmart where Chris and Alex had always did their shopping, Chris stopped by the playground.

"Go and play there. I need to settle some stuff before we go to Walmart."

"But why?!" Alex cried, immediately regretting his decision to leave Tom behind. The kids in the town hated him. He has no idea why but nobody wants to talk to him at all.

"Alex. Please. Besides you can play with the swing and the slide. It's not often that you get to play with all that," Chris pleaded, trying hard to mask his desperation.

"Well, if you built that swing set on the tree Mom told you to last year, I wouldn't have to do this," Alex countered, folding his arms. Chris took in a cleansing breath and exhaled slowly to calm the rage in his blood. He needed to be patient with him.

"Please. Just this once," he said quietly, his voice laced with menace. Alex blinked at his dad, genuinely scared. He hadn't used that voice for a very long time.

"Yes, dad," Alex obeyed, unbuckling his seatbelt, getting out of the truck hurriedly. Chris sighed and banged his head on the wheel. He hated having to threat Alex. He hated it when his own son doesn't feel safe with him. But what has to be done, has to be done.

Chris clambered out of his truck, locked it and strode towards the town library. He pushed the door open and was immediately greeted by a young gentleman behind the polished counter. He nodded at Chris before giving him a one over.

"Can I help you sir?"

"Uh yeah... Where're the computers?" Chris asked, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Turn right, walk straight till you see the sign."

Chris thanked the guy and made his way there. He felt out of place, awkward, sticking out like a sore thumb. The library was empty except for a few who chose to read the newspaper here instead of buying one. Chris took a seat in front of a desktop and wiggled the mouse to start it up. He doesn't use much IT and wasn't exactly IT savvy but he could do the basics.

Chris opened an internet browser, opened a search engine and immediately typed 'Imaginary friends'. He got more than a million hits. This is what he truly hates when it comes to 'researching'. It's the sifting through the results that turned him off. He scanned the list, reading the descriptions.

Clicking at the first link, he began to read.

* * *

"Hey Chris!"

Chris turned to the sound of the voice. "Ellie! Hey!"

Ellie was an old acquaintance of Coraline in high school. She was one of the few left who spoke to Chris. Despite that, he knew nothing about her personal life. Chris never believed in probing. Minding his own business and steering away from others was just his way to survive in this town.

"Grocery shopping?" she asked. Ellie tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear as she looked up. She was almost a foot shorter than Chris. The summer heat had passed and a gentle breeze was blowing.

"Yeah..." Chris shrugged, gesturing at the bags he was holding. He usually does shopping for the whole month so he doesn't have to venture out to town often. He almost forgot – "You too?"

Ellie nodded. "Yeah... I –"

"Mom!" A carrot topped boy around the same age as Alex raced from behind Chris and halted in front of Ellie. "Hey kiddo! Ready to go?" The boy nodded.

Ellie smiled at Chris. "It's good to see you, Chris."

"Yeah..." They waved goodbye and headed towards their respective vehicles.

Chris didn't think much about Ellie but then he remembered the article he read on the net. Scrambling to the box where Coraline had kept her old contact book, Chris searched for Ellie's number and hurried to the phone.

Chris jabbed the numbers to the phone and listened to the monotonous drone as it dialed.

"Hello?"

"Hey... Erm can I speak to Ellie please?" Chris cleared his throat and shifted in his seat.

"This is Ellie speaking," Chris her shuffle and cover the mouth piece.

"Yeah, erm Ellie, this is Chris. Chris Hemsworth? We met just now?"

There was silence at the other end and Chris grew uneasy as he heard shuffling.

"Hello? Are you there?"

"Yes!" Ellie breathed hurriedly. "Yes, I'm here."

"Good. Uh... I... Well, you remember my son, Alex, right?"

"Yes..." Ellie said, uncertain of where this conversation was going.

"Yeah... Uh... You have a son too." Chris could hear Ellie stifle a giggle and he shrugged. Was he that awkward?

"Yes Chris. I know you have a son," Ellie affirmed. Chris could almost hear her smile at the other line.  
"You know its summer and uh... Alex doesn't have much to do and I'm kinda busy with the farm and all..."

"Oh, you need me to babysit him?"

"Not exactly," Chris said, shoving his free hand into his pocket. "More like a play date? Alex has been quite lonely. It's his first summer without his mom so..."

"Oh… I'm happy to let Alex make friends with Luke."

Chris let out a sigh of relief. "That's good. Is it okay if I drop him off tomorrow at 11?"

"Sure. I'll see you two then!"

"Thanks Ellie. I really appreciate this."

"Don't mention it."

* * *

Tom sat on Alex's bed as he watched Alex putting on his socks followed by his shoes.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"My dad said I'm going for a playdate," Alex replied, clumsily running a comb onto his wet hair.

Tom made a face. "I hope this new friend is fun!"

Alex grinned at him through his reflection. "I hope so too!"

"Alex? Are you ready?" Chris stood at the door, leaning against the door frame. He took the comb out of Alex's hands, led him in front of the bed where he sat at the edge and began to comb his hair. Tom watched curiously. Throughout his job, it was rare to see a father taking care of his son like Chris did. Perhaps it was because he was a single dad.

"Dad," Alex said, rubbing his eyes. "What's the name of this... Play-"

"Play date," Chris finished his sentence. "Remember mom's friend, Ellie? It's her son, Luke."

Alex shrugged in response, tugging his shirt. "There. Now you look handsome." Chris smiled.

Tom who was behind Chris the whole time waved at Alex. Alex waved back and caused Chris to frown and look back. At the same time Tom stuck his tongue out and blew a raspberry, causing Alex to giggle loudly. Chris clicked his tongue and stood up. He hoped Alex would stop this nonsense soon enough. It was getting tiring to accommodate to his behaviour.

"Come now Alex. We're going to be late," Chris said sternly, prodding his son along the hallway.  
Alex pouted. Chris was about to prod him out of the house when Alex turned.

"Can Tom come with me?" he asked timidly, wringing his hands. Chris felt himself mellowing. He couldn't bear to break the boy's heart. "Oh alright!"

Alex let out a squeal of delight. "Hurry Tom! We're going to be late!" He ran towards the truck, opened the passenger door and jumped in. He waited for several seconds and then closed the door.

"Seatbelt," Chris reminded as he climbed into the vehicle before pulling his own across his body. Tom wiggled in his seat, getting comfortable. He never rode in a truck before. He began to touch the dashboard, the truck's roof and rubbed his feet against the truck's floor. Alex grinned at him whilst watching him.

The trip to Ellie's house only took 20 minutes. The entire time Tom was looking out of the window, getting used to the vibration on his seat and the engine's quiet hum. Alex in the meantime, interrogated Chris about his play date.

"How old is Luke?"

"Should be the same as you."

"Seven?"

"Mmmmm"

"What does he look like?"

"Uh… He's a little taller than you… Red hair…"

"I bet he has freckles too," Alex interrupted.

Chris pursed his lips before responding, "No matter what he looks like, you two can be friends."

Alex wasn't sure what Chris meant by that but whatever it was, he was just excited to make a new friend. Tom is fun to play with. And if this Luke is as fun as Tom, then this summer would be awesome.

When they arrived, Ellie and Luke were already waiting for them on the porch.

"Hey guys!" Ellie greeted them. Chris returned her smile. Alex shyly held out his hand to Luke and they shook hands. Within seconds, both started to warm up to each other and ran into the house, squealing and giggling.

"Thanks for this," said Chris, following Ellie inside to the kitchen.

"It's no problem. Luke was getting bored as well," Ellie replied, searching for mugs. "Coffee?"

Chris nodded to her. "No milk. Just sugar thanks." Chris drew a chair from the dining table and sat. He watched Ellie fix him coffee and was reminded how Coraline always stood by the counter to wait for the coffee machine.

"I was getting worried for him."

"Why?" Ellie asked and almost regretted it. She wasn't sure whether it was appropriate for her to ask. As far as she knows, the Hemsworths had been very private about their personal lives.

Chris shrugged. "Alex kept saying he has a friend named Tom and I can't see him." He was genuinely worried that Ellie would think that Alex had gone bonkers and might need psychiatric help. But seeing the fact that Ellie was a mother to a boy of Alex's age, she might understand. And he was right.

"Oh that," she said, tucking in a loose strand of her chestnut hair behind her ear. "He just has an imaginary friend, Chris. Luke used to have one too."

"Luke too?" Chris accepted a hot steaming mug of coffee from Ellie.

"Oh yes. He's called 'Rooster'. The imaginary friend I meant." Ellie smiled at the memory of having to put out plates of food on the table and eating it after when Luke had gone.

"I did look it up in the internet," Chris mused. He wasn't entirely sure if what he read was true. "Which is why I brought him here. It said the problem usually stems from the fact that he's lonely and without friends."

"You did the right thing," Ellie assured him, drinking her coffee. "But for Luke, it only last a few weeks. Best thing is to just play along."

"Play along?" Chris felt uneasy. He didn't like playing pretend and encouraging Alex to believe in things that are made up. "Just now he asked me if he could bring 'Tom' along and I said yes."

"I bet he'll say 'Tom' is playing with Luke and him now."

Chris sighed and set his mug down. He hated this. If Coraline was around, this wouldn't have happened. Or maybe it would and she'd know what to do – just like Ellie.

"It's been going on for a week now. At first it was creepy but then it started to be a tad ridiculous." Chris rolled his eyes. Ellie shrugged as she eyed Chris. Even though he looked washed up and badly needing a haircut, he looked good – real good. She had to fight the strong urge to touch him. Turning away from him to distract herself, Ellie began to shuffle things into the sink. She heard the chair drag against the floor as Chris stood up.

"I'd better get going. Thanks again for your help Ellie."

Ellie turned hastily towards him and crashed into his hard rock chest. "Oh my god. I'm so sorry."

Chris backed away. "It's alright. You didn't know I was near." Chris gave her his lazy half-smile and began to walk towards the door.

"I'll pick him up at 5."


	3. Chapter 3

_"How about a swing by the apple tree in the backyard?" Coraline asked. She looked expectantly at Chris who was about to surrender to a deep slumber. He grumbled as Coraline shook his arm, preventing any sleeping spell to pull him under._

_He sighed. "You know I've been beat. Besides its expensive," said Chris dismissively. Tornadoes and strong winds had wrecked the farm earlier that month. It needed so many repairs and that alone cost thousands of dollars. Any more damage would render Chris bankrupt. He spent most of the time trying to fix whatever he could instead of calling in professional help but it still wasn't enough._

_Coraline clicked her tongue, annoyed. Trying to persuade Chris is like pushing against a stone wall._

_"You don't have to buy the set per se. Just a big tyre, a strong rope to tie on the tree and you'll have it," she insisted, biting the corner of her lips._

_Chris frowned. "If it's so easy for you to say, go do it yourself." _

_He turned away, showing his back to her. He hated it when Coraline asks these kind of questions just when he was about to doze off. It irritates the hell out of him._

_"Why are you being so difficult Chris?! Alex is your son - Your only son. And he wants a swing. Is it so difficult to just make him happy?!" Coraline cried, smacking her hands against the duvet._

_"You've been coddling him ever since he was a baby. At times we need to say no and you're not good at that!" Chris spat. He threw the duvet aside, jumping out of the bed._

_"Where are you going?"_

_Chris didn't reply. Instead he hastily put on his jeans and a clean shirt before walking out of the room, banging the door shut as he went. Coraline heard the truck's engine roaring to life and sunk into the bed resignedly._

_She didn't know why Chris had been moody and snappy these days. She knew the farm was taking a toll on him but he's receiving help. It shouldn't be difficult enough to kick start the business again. Her mind began to knot and twist as she thought about it. Coraline rubbed her throbbing temples and began to cry._

_"Mommy?"_

_Coraline hastily wiped away her tears. The door was pushed opened, allowing the light in the hallway to spill over. "Yeah?" she said shakily as she felt a small pair of hands wrapping around her._

_"Don't cry anymore," Alex whispered into her ear._

* * *

It has been a week and several play dates with Luke but Alex still kept seeing him. Tom scratched his head as this thought ran through his mind over and over again. He went through the backdoor as usual and sat on the stool that has been especially 'reserved' for him. The stool that was previously behind the washer, now sits together with the dining table. It looked out of place, awkward, but Alex had insisted on dragging the stool to the table every morning till Chris gave up.

Tom watched as Chris prepared breakfast. He admired how Chris's arms flex whenever he reaches out for something and observed his own arm to see if his muscles do the same. But alas it didn't. He was disappointed but watching Chris does his usual routine every morning captured his attention again.

Tom finds Chris interesting. Maybe it was because this is the first time his case has a single dad. Or maybe it was because Chris spent most of his time alone with his thoughts. Tom wondered what Chris thinks about whenever he laid on the lawn chair at the front porch in the evenings with a cold beer in one hand. He wished he could read the man's mind.

Alex told him that his mother had died in a car accident and everyone in the family has blamed Chris. When Tom probed further, Alex couldn't answer. He genuinely had no idea why. Perhaps this was why Chris appeared to be alone all the time. The only people Tom had witnessed him interact with was Ellie, Luke's mother. The others were just passers-by. No one important. No family except for Alex. Tom found it weird. Or maybe Chris was just a loner.

Today was no different. Alex came down for breakfast, checked whether Chris had put out an extra plate on the table for Tom (which Chris did), ate and Chris would send him off to Ellie's. The problem with these play dates was the fact that Luke couldn't see him. The first few days he played along but after the fourth time, he got tired and complained to Alex that Tom didn't exist. Alex would turn defensive and if Tom doesn't intervene and assure Alex that it was okay, the two wouldn't be friends still. This was hindering Alex's friendship with Luke and Tom decided to back off. Just for a while.

So today he decided to stay in the truck with Chris instead of jumping out of it with Alex. He told Alex his plan for later on.

"You sure about this?" Alex asked as he put on his shoes. His innocent face was lined with worry.

Tom nodded. "Yep! Besides it's not fun when Luke starts complaining and doesn't wanna play anymore."

Alex pouted and nodded, seeing Tom's view. "Fine..."

Tom ruffled his hair before fixing it back. "I'll be okay buddy." Tom followed Alex down the stairs and into the truck.

"So you're just going to send me off and then go with my dad?" Alex implored, trying to figure out what Tom had in mind. It was weird. Chris can't even see him.

"That's the plan, sheriff," Tom winked as they waited for Chris to clamber into the truck.

Alex pouted the entire journey to Ellie's house and didn't even wave goodbye. Tom felt his heart plummet. He knew this was necessary. Also, it seemed that Chris needed his help more. Although how he'd get Chris to see him was something he has to crack.

* * *

"What do you think you're doing Tom?" Ruby mused. Her half-moon glasses were perched on her nose, her eyes peering at him. He was dressed in his usual light blue button shirt, coupled with a pair of comfortable dark jeans and sneakers. Tom sat on the swivel chair in Ruby's office, swaying from side to side. He felt that he was sitting too high and searched for the adjusting bar.

"What's necessary," Tom stated matter-of-factly as he adjusted his chair. He always has to. In Ruby's office, Tom always felt oversized. She was a dainty woman who prefers soft colours as her decor. She rarely wears bright or bold colours, much less solemn ones. Ruby's office was lined with delicate tea sets and china - the ones which you think will crack if you ever pick them up. She reminds him of grandmas and stereotypical southern mothers even though Ruby doesn't even look like one.

"Trying to make someone see you is hardly necessary Tom. It's either they do or they don't," she urged. Ruby leaned forward against her table, settling her chin on her clasped hands and eyed Tom carefully. She wasn't sure what he was up to and it makes her uncomfortable.

"But Ruby, he's lonely. He doesn't seem to have any friends. And I believe I can help him," Tom insisted.

Ruby doesn't have to know how much he liked watching Chris. Every movement made by him seemed calculated but at the same time reckless. He moved like a jaguar, fierce but yet graceful. To be perfectly honest, Tom has never been fascinated by an adult before. They were either boring or busy with their own lives. But Chris was different. And Tom couldn't exactly point out what it was exactly.

"One week Tom. I'm only allowing one week. Any more than that, and I might just do something you hate," Ruby stated firmly. Tom had never been distracted before and this was unusual of him. Nonetheless she trusted his instincts.

Tom gave a little frown before rising up. He didn't like what Ruby had said to him. It sounded like a threat and he knew it wasn't like Ruby to be doing so. She had always been hard with other colleagues but never with him. But nevertheless, Tom knew when not to push her buttons.

"Thanks Ruby. You know you can count me!" Tom quipped as he skipped out of her office.

* * *

The next few days Tom followed Chris everywhere he went except to the washroom. Now that wouldn't be right. He wanted to help. Not to be creepy. He followed Chris all over the farm as he went on his regular checks, all over the house as Chris did his chores and even sometimes out to the town when Chris had to go for grocery shopping or sometimes to the bank. Still there was no sign of Chris seeing him. Tom started to get anxious as Ruby's deadline loomed over.

Meanwhile Alex had been sulking. He reluctantly gets ready for the play dates, shows little interest in anything that involves Luke.

"I don't like him anymore," Alex ranted, kicking off his shoes. Chris had picked him up from Ellie's earlier and was now busying himself in the kitchen, cooking dinner. Alex landed himself on his bed, spread-eagled.

"Why not?" Tom asked with worry plastered all over his face. He rose up from the floor and sat beside Alex. He didn't like what he was hearing. Alex should have stopped seeing him by now.

"I...He's not you..." Alex squeaked, pulling a pillow over his head.

"Of course he's not me. I am not him either, Alex." Tom pulled the pillow away from him.

"I mean... He's not fun. He doesn't like airplanes. He prefers fire trucks and I think they're boring."

"Why are they boring? Fire trucks are cool!" Tom quipped excitedly. He needed Alex to think positively and to not give his friendship up with Luke – because if he does, then Tom would have failed his task.

"Because they can't fly Tom. Anything that doesn't fly isn't 'cool'," countered Alex, air quoting the 'cool'. He huffed again, attempting to pull the pillow back over but Tom held it firmly in his grasp.

"Well what if they are flying fire trucks? I bet those are much cooler!"

"Woah!" Alex shouted, jumping up as he imagined fire trucks zooming around. "That_ is_ cool!"

Tom grinned and winked. "Exactly!"

One problem solved.

* * *

"What are you doing dad?" Alex asked as he observed Chris unloading things from the back of the truck.

"You'll see," he answered, winking as he went. Alex frowned. It was strange to see Chris being in a good mood. And it was even stranger to see him smile and wink.

Ellie had been telling Chris that Alex wasn't particularly happy whenever he was over at her place. He seemed distracted and disconnected. Yesterday however, things improved but she could tell that Alex wasn't genuinely happy. She assured Chris that perhaps he wasn't comfortable at her place and would rather play at his own backyard.

They talked for a long while on the phone, discussing their sons' behaviours, their likes and dislikes. The more they talked, the more Chris realised Alex's obsession for flying. He just loves being in the air and that explains why he loves swings.

So Chris decided to do what he had denied his only son's request when Coraline was still alive – build him a swing set. Alex watched Chris opened the various boxes one by one before moving to the barn and emerging out with a toolbox. He allowed Alex to hand him the tools as he joined the pieces together.

It took them 2 hours and by the time it was done, Alex was literally bouncing and squealing.

"Oh my god Dad! A swing set! OH GOODIE!" Alex jumped onto the belt and started to push himself off the ground. The swing squeaked and Chris's heart stopped for a moment. But nothing happened. He let out a sigh of relief as Alex started to swing up and down.

"Come on dad! Get on the other one!" he shouted in mid-air, clinging onto the chains as he kicked himself higher off the ground.

"Naw! You go ahead!" Chris shouted back, grinning from ear to ear. His heart warmed as Alex giggled loudly, loving the rush of the wind in his ears. He shoved his hands into his pockets, proud of his work. Coraline was right; the swing set did look good in the backyard, near the apple tree.

And in that moment, Chris wished Coraline was here to witness it all.

* * *

"So you really like swings huh?" Tom chuckled as Alex taught him how to kick himself of the ground.

"YES!" Alex was in mid-air and swung up. He leaned his small body forward, jutting his legs straight up. "You'll love this once you get high up in the air!"

Tom laughed again, getting his own rhythm going. This was the first time he has ever been on a swing and it felt amazing. He loved the way the rushing wind blows his hair over, soaring into the sky when he was high up. But the sensation when he was being pulled back due to the momentum was exhilarating.

"I love this!" he yelled and Alex could only giggle loudly.

By the time Chris called Alex back to the house for dinner, they had played on the swings for nearly two hours. Alex could never get sick of it. It was better than playing with aeroplane toys and imagining them zooming around him.

"I told Ellie about the swing and Luke wants to come over to have a go at it," Chris began as he set down a plate on Alex's side of the table before putting another on 'Tom's side'. It had been a reflex to Chris, placing dinner utensils on the table for Tom. Granted it was bizarre at first but now it doesn't even bother him.

"So Luke is coming over now?" Alex grumbled. He hastily stuffed a napkin on the neck of his shirt and picked up his fork to pick on his greens.

"Why? Is there a problem?" Chris remarked, trying hard to mask any signs of annoyance.

Alex shrugged and threw a glance at Tom who was busy eating and ignoring whatever was going on. "If Luke comes over and play at the swing, Tom wouldn't be able to," he whispered, his voice almost inaudible.

Chris suppressed his anger. "I'm sure," Chris said calmly, pointing to Tom's side of the table with his fork, "Tom doesn't mind sharing."

Tom looked up. This was the first time Chris had ever addressed him as if he could see him. At first he thought he had a breakthrough but alas, Chris was just trying to appease his son - nothing more than that.

Tom nodded towards Alex and assured him, "You know, it will be really fun!"

Alex shrugged again. "Oh alright. Tom said it's okay."

Chris raised his eyebrows as Alex said his imaginary friend's approval. Whatever it was, Chris thought, he hoped this whole imaginary friend thing stops soon.


	4. Chapter 4

Tom grinned. At first he had doubts about being on the swing but he was glad he trusted Alex. He spent most of his time on the swing now. He had decided that Chris was never going to see him anyway and why follow the boring man around to do his boring things when he can just simply spend time swinging?

Chris washed the dirty dishes in the sink. As he wiped the plates, he briefly thought of buying a dishwasher but he couldn't afford it either way. It was a hot summer's day and the humidity was killing him. Chris fanned himself before pulling out a rusty electric fan, switching it on. He let out a sigh of satisfaction when the cool wind began to play over his sweaty skin. Chris continued cleaning the kitchen when something at the corner of his eye caught his attention.

From the kitchen window, he could see that one of the swings was swaying as if someone was on it. He then realised that when the swing swayed higher, there was squeaking. He frowned and felt the hair at the back of his neck prickle.

There was no wind.

No signs of any breeze.

Chris squinted hard at the swing set. Perhaps there was something about the screws or some other logical explanation was causing the swaying. He threw the dish rag onto the countertop and exited the kitchen.

Tom continued swinging and when he realised Chris was approaching him, he immediately stopped and stood stock still. He felt Chris's scrutiny boring a hole in him as Chris frowned at the bolts on the swing, licking the tip of his finger and holding it out to test whether there's any breeze.

It was then Tom realised – Chris was able to see that he was swinging. He could see! Well, he only saw the swing swaying but that was an achievement! Most of the time he can't!

Tom suppressed his excitement, afraid of Chris hearing him giggle. Then he frowned at himself for being silly.

"Hello!" he said carefully, trying to make eye contact with Chris.

No response. Chris only looked around like he wasn't there.

Tom waved in front of Chris's face and shouted this time round, "HELLOOOOO!"

Still no response.

Desperate, Tom shook the swing. Upon seeing that the swing shook and the chains rattling, Chris jumped back, gasping. His eyes were wide with shock, hands held out as if to defend himself from anything that may jump out and attack him. His eyes went wild, searching for the thing that was moving the swing.

Tom burst out laughing as Chris jumped. Seeing a grown man scared of out of his wits was just hilarious. He caught himself after a few moments and cleared his throat. Tom looked on as Chris roamed around the swing set to scrutinise the screws and bolts again.

Sighing as he couldn't find anything wrong, Chris rolled his eyes and stared at the swing set one last time before leaving it alone. Unknown to him, Tom was still sitting at the same swing belt, disappointed.

For the next few days Chris couldn't help but stare at the swing set whenever he does the dishes. Even though he didn't want it to move, deep down a part of him wanted it to sway just so that he could somehow solve its mystery. He wasn't scared of ghosts or anything of that sort. He believes in logic and common sense. But they certainly did not help him solve the mysterious swinging swing.

He made arrangements with Ellie for Luke to come over for a play date that day.

"I told Luke about the swing and he can barely contain himself!" Ellie said to Chris. His ponytail was unkempt, shirt stain from the cocoa powder from this morning's chocolate waffles batter but he still looked good.

_Well, even if he's wearing a potato sack, he'll still look good_, Ellie thought. Chris only managed a half smile as he let them in. He was annoyed with Alex the entire morning. He barely ate and kept complaining that Luke might act unfair to Tom when it's his turn to play on the swing. When he finally snapped, Alex teared and ran to his room as a result.

"Alex! Luke is here! Come down!" There was a long pause and Chris could only give Ellie a reluctant smile as he shouted again.

"I'm coming down!" Alex announced, his footsteps thumping down the stairs. He gave Ellie a sheepish smile before hugging her middle. "Hey kiddo!"

When they pulled apart, Alex gave a Luke a reluctant high five before both of them run to the backyard.

"Wow, this place is exactly how I remember it," Ellie mused as she took in her surroundings as Chris led her into the kitchen.

"How long has it been since you were here?" Chris asked. He wasn't sure if Ellie came by much when Coraline was still around. He took two mugs from the drawer as he offered Ellie a seat.

Ellie shrugged as she sat, "Ooohh I think even before Luke is around." Chris checked the coffee machine before pouring some into the mugs.

"That's long," Chris replied, offering Ellie a mug. She nodded before sipping her drink. "It wasn't easy with Luke around. With his father gone, I just... He still comes by but…"

"I understand. It's hard."

There was something in his voice that made her uneasy. Ellie expected Chris to ask her what happened to Luke's father but he didn't probe. She wasn't sure if he was interested. They fell into an awkward silence, drinking their coffee. Ellie wondered why Chris was a man of little words now. She knew that although he wasn't one who tattles about his personal life, he could be quite a charmer. But perhaps Coraline's passing changed him.

"So does Alex still have his imaginary friend?" Ellie asked, breaking the silence. She carefully sat down her mug on the table, nervously flicking her gaze to the lonely stool to her right. The stool didn't belong and felt out of place.

Chris sighed resignedly, noticing her gaze on the stool. "Yes. As a matter of fact, earlier this morning, he was so afraid that Luke wouldn't let his 'friend' to play on the swing."

"Oh." Ellie looked out and saw the boys on the swing belts, giggling and kicking themselves off the ground. "They seem fine," Ellie commented.

"Yeah, for now."

"I wouldn't be able to send Luke over for the next couple of days. My supervisor just changed everyone's schedule and now I have to work the morning shift. Is it alright it if you pick him up instead?"

"Yeah. Sure." Chris had half a mind to ask Ellie what she worked as but thought she would think him nosy.

"That's settled then!"

* * *

Armed with the knowledge that Chris could see the things he moved, Tom decided to tap on it.

At first, he decided to mess around. Chris still stares at the swing set whenever he does the dishes. And when he does, he usually doesn't turn off the tap when it was not needed. So Tom did it for him.

The sudden thump of the tap snapped Chris back to reality. Frowning, he flicked the tap back up, turning it on. Chris finished rinsing one dish, placing it to the drying rack and gazed back at the swing. Just as he was soaping another dish (with his eyes glued onto the swing), the tap turned off by itself again. Chris gripped the dish hard as he took a small step back, squinting down at the tap. He slowly turned it back on and stepped away to observe it for a while before rinsing the soaped plate. By this time, Tom was giggling. _This is so much fun!_

He continued to play tricks on Chris; Moving his dish rag when he wasn't looking, rearranging the toiletries in the washroom, making the swing sway when Chris was about to peel his eyes off it. He even bounced on the couch to startle Chris whenever he stares into space during the evenings after dinner.

But still no sign of Chris seeing him.

"Your eyes are just playing tricks on you, Chris," Chris muttered to himself as he moved the dish rag back to its original position. He shook his head and strode to the fridge, opening it and extracting a cold can of beer.

He took a swig, gulping the cold, velvety liquid. _There's no such thing as ghosts._

* * *

"Tom, it's been a week. You should just give up," Ruby said sternly, peering at him over her glasses.

"He sees my movements Ruby! You should hav-"

"Do you want him to think that you're some supernatural being that messes his home?!" she interjected, silencing him.

"No," Tom mouthed, avoiding Ruby's piercing gaze. But if he gives up now, then Chris can't be helped.

"One more week Ruby. Plus his son can still see me..." Tom pleaded.

"He still does?" Ruby said in disbelief. Tom nodded.

"Fine. One more week. And that's final Tom. We have other people who need you more than him."

* * *

Tom wrung his hands as he sat at the conference table in Pudemaerd. Today was the monthly update meeting. Every month, everyone would gather together and give Ruby the updates on their cases and how far long they need. He adjusted his seat, swaying from left to right. He couldn't think straight and was almost afraid of reporting today. The tense conversation he had with Ruby was four days ago and he had a feeling she would grill him again later.

He was early as always and greeted his fellow colleagues as they filled the seats one by one. The thing about the business of imaginary friends is that, not everyone looks like adults. They all come in different shapes and sizes. Literally. Alice, for example, who looks like Alex's age. Then there is Beca, who reminds Tom of middle-aged Southern mothers.

They began and Tom silently counted how many people have to go first before himself. _Three_, he mentally noted.

Alice smoothed down her pink tea-party dress and sat up straight. "I made a new friend a week ago. Her name is Yuki."

"That's a lovely name!" Ruby claimed as she leaned forward.

Alice gave her sweet, innocent smile and continued, "Yes, yes. She just moved from another town. But there's one problem though… Yuki thinks I'm a ghost."

"Oh no!" Everyone groaned. Tom cringed. It reminded him of his discussion with Ruby. It's hard enough being invisible to most people except for their cases but to have those who can see you think that you're a ghost? Absolute horror.

"Why do you think Yuki believes that Alice?" Ruby asked softly while scribbling onto her notepad.

"Well, I think it must be my dresses. She did mention that it looked Victorian…"

"Ah. Well, I think you can make an appointment with the wardrobe department and change your attire."

Alice let out a sigh and grinned, "Thank you Ruby."

Ruby smiled back in response and clasped her hands together, "So Beca, how about you?"

Beca is a specialist in the elderly. In fact everyone specialises in a category and a number of them specialise in children – Tom included. She tucked her wispy blonde hair behind her ear before answering, "Well, it's not long now. Wendy is on life support as we speak."

The table gasped and those nearest to Beca patted her shoulders and comforted her as she teared.

"I'm so sorry Beca…" Ruby consoled her. "We all hope Wendy will go peacefully."

Beca sniffled, wiping away a tear with her lacy handkerchief. Tom's heart dropped. He had never witnessed a death of a friend before and to think that Beca had seen so many broke his heart. Ruby nodded at the teenage boy sitting to Beca's right. Adam had been flipping the pen in between his fingers the entire time and stopped as he spoke.

"Yeah, erm, Zack is progressing. He finally got into this activity club in school. And… uh…He couldn't see me today during lunch…" The whole table gasped. Everyone in the room understood this stage of their job – the stage where their friends couldn't see them anymore. It hurts the most really. To actually realise that the one person you cared about, shared their insecurities and dreams for several weeks will never see you again likens to a poisoned stab in the heart. Adam shrugged. Even though he tried to mask it, his eyes said otherwise.

"So… yeah… I'll give it a couple more days," he concluded, looking down onto his lap and resumed flipping the pen in between his fingers.

Tom gulped. It's his turn now.

"How is Alex, Tom?" Ruby implored, resting her face on her right palm.

"He's progressing," Tom answered. "He has a new friend now. But the trouble is he's still seeing me."

"How long has this case been?" Ruby asked again. Tom frowned. She knew how long it had been, is this her way of emphasising that he wasn't doing his job properly?

"A month and a half," Tom replied carefully. He knew Ruby was up to something. Strange since she was probably the kindest soul he had ever met.

"The reason why I'm asking Tom this question is because his case is unique," Ruby lamented, as if she had read Tom's mind. "Tell us more Tom."

Tom gulped. _This will get interesting. _"Well, uh… Alex's father, Chris, can sense my presence."

The chitter-chatter around the room dissipated. "You mean he can see you?" Adam asked, his face eager and excited.

Tom shook his head, "No… not exactly. He can see me moving his things more like."

"I've never heard of that, in all of my years," Beca commented.

"Which is why, Tom's case is unique," Ruby agreed.

And then the questions began to shoot out like a machine gun gone wild.

"What did he see you move Tom?"

"Yeah, when did he first see you move things?"

"Did you play tricks on him?"

"Does he look scared when you're moving things?"

"What does his son think about that?"

All these questions were making Tom's head spin. "That's enough questions!" Tom bellowed, silencing all of them. They stared at Tom's outstretched hands and then to his exasperated face.

"I'm sorry everyone," Tom said resignedly, adjusting himself on his seat. He scratched the back of his head and shrugged. "Well, the first time he sensed my presence, I was on the swing, bored of watching him all day."

"Why were you watching him?" Beca asked, curious.

"Because his son has a new friend and barely needs me, whereas his father is all alone, no friends, barely talks to any other. I thought he needed a friend more than his son."

"That seems fair," Adam said, still flipping his pen. "Besides, there must be a reason why the dad can sense his presence anyways."

"Yes," Ruby replied hurriedly, "But the point is, he can't see Tom. And that's because he doesn't need T –"

"I think he does," Alice interrupted. "I mean, it's not that he doesn't need Tom… Maybe it's because he chooses to believe that he doesn't need anybody."

* * *

"Promise me you'll be good okay?"

Alex nodded and gave Chris a reluctant smile before he hopped out of the truck. Chris had arranged for Alex to stay over at Ellie's. He needed some time alone today. Tom wanted to accompany Alex tonight but something was nagging at him. He thought of Alice's words and cursed himself. As much as he wanted to have fun, it seems that Chris does need him. Also he's curious as to why he even sent Alex away.

The orange evening sky grew steadily darker. Tom grew uneasy as Chris kept on driving to the edge of the town. He wasn't sure what to make of this. Chris somehow had a bottle of liquor stored in the truck and started to take swigs while driving. Tom wanted to grab the bottle from him but decided against it. He wasn't sure if it was the right move.

They soon came to a stop and Chris parked. It was dead quiet in the night and with the exception of the street lights, everything was pitch-black. The only sounds were crickets, their footsteps and the swishing of the liquor Chris brought along. Chris stumbled down a narrow lane and soon something caught Tom's eye – tomb stones. His heart started to hump as he dragged his eyes across the land in front of him. Tom shivered as he scanned the cemetery. He had never been to one before and it makes him uncomfortable. He had no idea why Chris wants to be here but Tom figured that Chris wanted to pay respect to a loved one. They walked further into the cemetery until Chris turned to his left and walked towards a modest white tomb stone.

"You know, it's been a year since you're gone," Chris's voice cracked as he pointed his bottle at the tomb stone in front of him.

_Here lies,_

_Coraline Jane Carter-Hemsworth_

_Beloved daughter, sister and mother_

_Born: 16 February 1982_

_Died: 27 July 2011_

He took another swig from the bottle and wiped his mouth. "I don't even know why you ran Cora. I don't know why you decide to abandon us that night. Why did you? WHY DID YOU?!" Chris swung his bottle down, smashing it to pieces against the tomb stone. The sound shocked Tom, who jumped back a few feet. Chris started trembling and he fell to his knees.

"Now you're gone! GONE!" Chris crooned drunkenly and laughed bitterly, "Gone with the wind." He flattened his palm on the cool tomb stone, tracing the engravings on it. "I loved you, you know," he whispered to the tomb stone, before collapsing against it.

* * *

Chris groaned as he felt someone pulling him up. Startled, Chris struggled. "Hey! Hey! Don't touch me!" he shouted to the stranger. He didn't realise he had been knocked out cold for two hours now. Chris hastily tugged his arm away from the stranger's grasp.

"So you want me to leave you in this cemetery?!" The stranger half-shouted as Chris fell to the ground again.

"Leave me!" Chris screamed, "Since that's what everybody does in the end! Leaving me!"

Tom softened at his words. "I won't leave you."

"What?!" Chris said groggily, rubbing his eyes. He couldn't make out the face of this stranger. His head was spinning too much.

"I said I won't leave you," Tom repeated, firmly this time.

Chris couldn't shake this headache away and instead leaned against Tom.

"Then bloody don't."


	5. Chapter 5

_"Dad? Isn't today Mom's death anniversary?"_

_Chris stopped folding the laundry. They had just finished breakfast and Alex was sent upstairs to change so that they could go grocery shopping. He had forgotten about today – had no recollection of it._

_He slowly turned to face his son. "Yeah," it was all he could manage._

_Alex stared at him blankly, expecting Chris to say something more. But he didn't. Instead Chris abandoned the clothing in his hand and pulled Alex into his arms._

_Shutting his eyes, he breathed in Alex's fruity scent. He wanted to remember this forever – the innocent little boy who loves aeroplanes. His only son._

_"You know I love you right?" he whispered into Alex's ear. _

_"I know." Alex's voice was soft and distant. He felt uncomfortable as Chris nestled his face against the crook of his neck. Gradually, Alex eased into the embrace, leaning his head against Chris._

_"You know you're the only I've got in this entire world right?" _

_Alex wanted to remind him that he still has Uncle Liam but he decided against it. They haven't heard from him for a couple of years and Alex knows that Uncle Liam was nothing but trouble. Alex shrugged._

_"You're the only I've got too," he whispered._

_Chris pulled away and Alex saw a single tear falling across his cheek. He held out a finger to wipe it and gave Chris a chaste kiss on his cheek._

_"Don't cry anymore."_

_"I won't buddy."_

* * *

Rule number 1 of being an imaginary friend: Never get your friend into any kind of trouble. So when Tom had fished the keys out of Chris's pockets and start the engine, he prayed that no one would see a truck moving with no driver. That would definitely get Chris in trouble and he would be too with Ruby and the management of Pudemaerd.

When Chris passed out against the tomb stone, Tom was stumped. He had never experienced someone passing out in front of him, much less an adult. So when he had regained his senses to try and move Chris, he never expected him to rouse and see him at all.

Rule number 10 of being an imaginary friend: Try as you might, not to operate any machinery unless in an emergency. Tom knew he couldn't leave Chris in his truck parked at a cemetery overnight.

First, he's drunk and knocked out cold. Second, even if he wakes up tomorrow and could drive himself out, Tom was sure that Chris will suffer from an excruciating hangover. But there was a problem. Tom had never driven a truck before – a car yes but never a bigger vehicle. Nevertheless, he decided to take the risk. The cemetery gave him the creeps and one might never know what will bother them if they stayed any longer.

The entire journey involved him ensuring that there was no other car or people out on the road to witness this. Thanks to the obscure nature of this town and the hour, no one was in sight. Tom heaved a sigh of relief when he finally parked in front of the house. Chris was still passed out. He gingerly put out a finger near Chris's nostrils to make sure he was breathing before pulling him out of the truck.

Once Tom had put Chris to bed, he made his way down to the backyard and sat at the swings.

Now that he was able to clear his head and think about what happened a few hours ago, his thoughts started to become scrambled. He wasn't sure if adult friends are any different from children. What would an adult expect? What would an adult want out of a friendship? And most importantly, what does Chris need from him?

Tom needs to know the answers. And he needs to know them fast.

* * *

As soon as he turned to his right, his vision turned red. Chris growled, immediately regretting it. His head was pounding mercilessly as he cracked one eye open. He had a feeling that he would end up on the streets or somewhere unknown since he was stinking drunk last night, but he's not. Chris shuffled his feet against the bed sheet and it felt familiar. Rubbing his eyes, he sat up and slowly cracking his eyes open. He's home. In his own bed. He tried to remember how he ended up back home but his headache was preventing him from doing so.

Chris shook his head to get rid of the pounding but it only made everything worse. He groaned as he slowly made his way downstairs.

"Oh good. You're up." A tall man clad in t-shirt and dark jeans greeted Chris as he entered the kitchen. He stood up from the stool before pulling Chris's usual seat out.

Chris staggered back. _Who the hell is this?!_ He was about to open his mouth to protest but the man held out a hand and started to babble, "You were passed out and Ellie was going to work. She started her morning shifts today at the factory and there's no one to pick up the kids so she drove them here and I fixed breakfast with Alex's help and now they're playing."

_Oh. Luke's dad._ Chris managed a half-smile that looked very much like a grimace as he sat down.

"Thanks," he croaked, still eyeing the man in front of him.

"Coffee?"

Chris nodded as he pressed his forehead onto the dining table.

"Here. Take a sip. You'll feel better." Tom placed a piping hot mug down in front of Chris. Chris thanked him as he dragged the mug towards his face, gulping down the bitter liquid.

"I'm sorry for troubling you. I forgot that today Ellie needed me to mind the kids, Chris apologised. He eyed the man in front of him. He looked about the same age as him. Chris wondered why Ellie didn't mention much about her ex-husband not that it was any of his business.

"I didn't catch your name," Chris said ruefully, giving Tom a sheepish look.

"It's Tom." Chris choked on his coffee, coughing loudly, trying to get the coffee out of his lungs.

"Are you alright?!" Tom hurried over to pat his back. He hurried away to get a glass of water and handed it to Chris. Grabbing the glass gratefully, he glugged down the water and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Yeah better..."

"It's just your name..."

"What's with my name?" Tom asked, suddenly alarmed.

"It's the same as -" Chris stopped mid-sentence. _Same as my son's imaginary friend? What Chris? You want this man to think your son is going bonkers?_ Chris shook his head, waving it off.

"Same as what?" Tom persisted. His blue eyes were big with curiosity.

"My son, Alex. He had an imaginary friend whose name is also Tom," Chris explained reluctantly. Tom raised his eyebrows, as if surprised. "Yeah, yeah. I think it's all a phase. He'll get over it soon."

Tom didn't answer; instead he was enjoying his own cup of coffee, observing a bleary Chris trying to clear his mind with the caffeine.

"Thanks for bringing the kids. I'm sure you have other business to attend to, so I can take over from here."

Tom put down his now empty mug and looked at Chris questioningly.

"What?" Chris said, defensively.

"Not with your condition. You need more rest," Tom said simply. He retrieved Chris's mug and began to wash it together with his.

"I can handle it," Chris insisted. He was about to stand up when the sunlight from the window blinded him, sending his head spinning. He yelped and immediately sat back down. Tom stifled a chuckle.

"I can mind the kids. I have always loved spending time with them anyways."

Chris slept through the whole day and only got up an hour before Ellie was supposed to pick up Luke. From his bedroom window Chris could see the boys running around with toy aeroplanes in each hand, pretending to have an air battle. What caught Chris's attention was Tom running around chasing the boys all over the backyard. For some reason he felt a small twinge of jealousy creeping up. Tom seemed to be more natural and easy going around kids compared to him.

However, when Ellie came by to pick Luke up, Tom was nowhere in sight. Chris wanted to tell her that Tom has been helping him to mind the kids but bit his tongue. He didn't want Ellie to think him irresponsible and depended on her ex while he nursed an excruciating hangover. Plus he wasn't sure if Ellie approves of him mingling with her ex. He didn't want Alex to lose his new friend.

* * *

Later that night when Alex was already in bed, Chris took two cold beers from the fridge and headed out onto the porch. He dusted the lawn chair with his calloused hands before sitting down. The law chair creaked under his weight as he propped his leg up to the balustrade. The night was quiet and peaceful except for the crickets.

Chris stared ahead towards the cornfield as he popped a bottle open. He gulped a mouthful and shifted in the chair to get comfortable.

"You're missing out on the stars."

Chris turned to the voice. Tom was leaning against a pillar on the porch, his head titled high. He gazed at the scattered stars twinkling against the sky's dark canvas. To his right, Tom could make out the Cassiopeia and Perseus constellations.

"Where were you just now?" Chris asked. His voice sounded accusatory even though he didn't mean it. He watched Tom warily. His pounding head earlier this morning didn't warrant him a good look. Tom was wearing a light blue shirt coupled with snug faded jeans and sneakers. For someone his age, he seemed to be dressing too much like a teenager.

"Out and about," Tom answered, still busy looking at the night sky. He turned slightly towards Chris, watching him gulping another mouthful of beer.

Chris decided to not pursue the matter. The guy was probably just avoiding his ex. He held out a beer to Tom but he declined.

"I don't like the taste of beer," Tom explained. Chris shrugged as if to say that it's his loss.

"Thanks for today. I really appreciate it," Chris began.

"I know. You needed some time alone."

"How did you know?"

"Alex told me."

Chris frowned. It didn't cross his mind that Alex would ever talk about something so personal to a stranger. He had the sudden urge to lash out at Tom, telling him to mind his own business but instead, he combed his hair back with his fingers, "It's just hard you know. We survived one whole year without Coraline. One whole year. But not a day goes without me thinking about her."

"When people have seared onto your heart, it's almost impossible to discard memories of them," Tom mused. He turned to look at Chris who was nursing a second beer.

"Was she beautiful?"

A small wistful smile hooked onto Chris's lips as he nodded. There was a long pause before Chris spoke again. "Alex looks just like her. He even has her smile. Whenever he does, my heart swells and breaks at the same time," said Chris, his voice grew distant and soft at the end.

Chris didn't know what made him open up to Tom. He didn't know if Tom had any idea what he was babbling about and here he was, talking about his dead wife to a complete stranger. Tom could only offer him a sympathetic smile. "It must be hard to care for a child without someone else."

Chris nodded. "It is. I used to think it will never happen to me - that when I have children, Coraline would forever be by my side to take care all of the kid stuff," he confided.

Chris took another swig from his beer before continuing, "It hasn't been easy on Alex too. He started being quiet, nervous and kept to himself. It didn't help when Coraline's family started accusing me for causing her death."

Chris immediately caught himself. He had never told anyone about Coraline's family. True, they started the horrible rumour where Chris was the one who intoxicated Coraline and deliberately let her drive in a drunken state. But no one had ever confronted him for it. The police dismissed their claim since they had no proof but the town people looked at him differently from that day on. Chris pursed his lips as he stared at the beer bottle in his hand. He nervously flicked his eyes towards Tom who was now sitting down on the porch, watching him.

"I never told anyone that," Chris confessed softly. He avoided Tom's gaze, feeling uncomfortable.

"You can tell me anything Chris," Tom assured him.

"Well at first I thought he was getting better during the summer but then when he started to have an imaginary friend, I was sure things are not. I thought having play dates was going to help him but I was wrong. He keeps insisting that this friend is real. I even put out toast for him for god's sake!"

Tom shifted on his spot. He wasn't sure if Chris knew that he was talking to an imaginary friend right now - specifically his son's.

"What's wrong with having an imaginary friend?" Tom asked, hurt at Chris's rant.

"You don't expect me to be alright with people thinking that my son has a screw loose do you? He talks to thin air and laugh by himself. People look at him differently." Chris stared at Tom, befuddled by his question.

Tom sighed. He knew that this was one of the most pressing issues when imaginary friends are working. They're always reminded to avoid crowds and only interact with their cases when people are not around. This way, their friends would not be accused of 'losing their marbles' by the public.

"I understand your concern," Tom acknowledged carefully. He didn't want to trigger anything unpleasant. "But don't you think the reason why he has one is because he is in need of one?"

"In need of one?!"

"I mean," Tom said hurriedly, "In need of a friend." _Phew._

"Well I did get him one," Chris countered, referring to Luke. Tom nodded.

"And that was a good thing," he assured Chris. "Alex's a good kid."

"I know."

* * *

For the next few days whenever Chris brought Luke back to his house, he would find Tom sitting at the porch with Alex, waiting for them. At first he was apprehensive but it seemed that Tom was just sincere in helping out with the kids. Chris thought it's probably because he doesn't see much of Luke and when the kids are at Ellie's, he couldn't bond with his own son.

"So where are you from Tom?" Chris asked casually. They were sitting at the backyard, on the grass nursing some cold lemonade, watching the boys.

"Pudemaerd."

"Pute- what?!"

"Pudemaerd."

Chris raised his eyebrows. He has never heard of wherever Tom claimed he was from. "Is that in Canada?"

Tom chuckled, throwing his head back as he does. "No!"

"Then where is it?!" Chris persisted.

Tom turned and laughed again. "Where it's supposed to be."

Chris shrugged as he downed his glass of lemonade. Conversations with Tom always end with him saying something wise or open. He doesn't seem to talk about himself much and usually leaves the talking to Chris while he listens. It leaves him frustrated but at the same time, intrigued.

"How about you?"

"Been here since I was born," Chris drawled, "Never went anywhere out of the state, much less the country."

"That's sad," Tom concluded. "You should really travel more. The world out there is amazing."

"Yeah, if you give me a million bucks, maybe I would," Chris joked, tilting the glass as he finished his drink. Even though he sounded upbeat, a tiny part of him ached. He did want to travel – even if it was somewhere in the States, far away from here.

"How about we do something fun tomorrow with the kids?" Tom suggested with a big grin plastered on his face, making his blue eyes twinkle.

Chris cocked an eyebrow up suspiciously. "Like what?"

"We could go to a water park!"

"You're crazy."

"Why not?! You're no fun!" Tom pointed out. He needed Chris to loosen up and be more spontaneous. Spending a few days with him, moping around was not going to do it. Chris needed excitement. He needed to feel alive. Tom cupped his hands around his lips and shouted to the boys, "Hey kids! You want to go to a water park tomorrow?!"

Alex yelled back, "We are going to a water park?!"

Luke joined in, "Oh MY GOD! WE ARE?! YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS?!"

"WHAT?!"

"Water gun fights!"

Alex squealed in delight, jumping up and down together with Luke. "Dad! Can we go, dad?! Please! Can we?!"

Chris took a deep breath before nodding to two screaming boys and a chuckling Tom. Chris shot a murderous look at him and muttered, "I'm only doing this because of Alex."

"Whatever rocks your boat, my friend," Tom winked.


	6. Chapter 6

The only noise in the classroom was the furious scratching of pens onto notepads. Everyone seemed to devour everything the lecturer said. Besides, in Pudemaerd, classes are always to be taken seriously.

"First thing you must know about adults," Kevin, the lecturer began, adjusting his coat as he walked around the small room, "is that they don't believe in imaginary friends."

Hushed silence befell the room. Tom thought about what Kevin said before scribbling it onto his notepad. Reading the freshly written sentence seemed out of place somehow. Ruby had suggested he took some courses on adult friendships since he had no experience. He compared this statement with his previous scope - Children never question their existence nor do they have a hard time believing that friendships are simple, so this is puzzling. Does this mean Chris don't believe he actually exist?

"But they still see us?" asked a teenage girl from the back of the class.

Kevin smiled well naturedly, "Ah... The reason why they can see us is because they _need_ us. Doesn't necessarily mean they believe that we exist," he explained.

_That is true,_ thought Tom. Chris obviously didn't believe that he is one. He kept implying that Luke was his son. He has no idea how he formulated that in the first place. Tom frowned as he remembered how Chris kept pushing Alex's ability to see him as some psychiatric problem when it isn't. But could Tom convince him otherwise?

"The second thing you need to know about adults is that they are observant. This means they will notice when you change your clothes, when you come by to accompany them. This also brings to another point, adults are governed by this boring thing called common sense," Kevin drawled, shaking his head, as if irked by the very thought.

The class started to boo, Tom included. Common sense is one of the worse things they have to handle. Common sense is never favourable. For children, it's easy to just have them suspend their belief in reality. This probably explained why they love to play pretend. Adults on the other hand, are sceptical about almost everything.

Being friends with Chris was absolutely different. In fact it's a stark contrast to his friendship with Alex. With Chris, he can't leisurely stroll into the house whenever he feels like it. He can't sit at the dining table during meal times since Chris never invited him to eat together. There was even one time when Chris asked if Tom had any other clothes and even implied that he never showered since he had no new clothes. Tom also can no longer accompany Alex in his room at night since Chris would think he's doing something inappropriate.

It's been difficult but also a refreshing experience. And that's what Tom loved about this new friendship of his. Chris will never fail to surprise him.

* * *

Tom eyed an annoyed Chris folding swimming trunks into the duffel bag. "You're not afraid of water right?" he asked. He was pretty sure Chris was annoyed with him since he suggested going to the water park yesterday.

"No," Chris grunted, "It's just water parks are like pee parades."

Tom burst out laughing, tilting his head back as he did. "You're afraid of a little pee?" he teased.

Chris shot him a derisive look. "I'm not afraid of anything!" he said defensively which sent Tom laughing more.

He gasped for air and grinned. "Then stop being a spoil sport!" He winked, "Embrace the pee parade!"

Chris couldn't help but grin. Tom's positive energy was too infectious. Chris checked the duffel bag again before calling the boys out. Earlier today, Chris had picked Luke up and Ellie had provided him with a bag full of sunscreen - probably enough sunscreen for 10 adults. Tom joked that instead of getting a tan, perhaps they'd be paler.

"Does Ellie know you're a part of this?" Chris was still uncomfortable. He wasn't sure if Ellie approved of his friendship with her ex.

"Why would Ellie want to know?" Tom shot back curiously before bounding down the staircase.

"I don't know," Chris shrugged, following Tom down. "Maybe she won't like it?"

Tom took a moment to think about it. "I'm pretty sure she won't mind," Tom assured him. And Chris decided to leave it at that.

The entire journey to the only water park in Alma was not at all quiet. Tom started to hum "She'll Be Coming Round the Mountain" 10 minutes into the drive and Alex joined in, singing the song, not caring for the tune.

"She'll be coming 'round the mountain when she comes! WHEN SHE COMES!" Alex half-sang, half-shouted. Both Chris and Tom burst out laughing.

Alex's face started to fall and Chris hurriedly consoled him. "No, no! Don't stop buddy! Go on!"

Luke nudged Alex and started to sing, urging Alex to join in.

_She'll be coming 'round the mountain when she comes, (when she comes)._  
_She'll be coming 'round the mountain, she'll be coming 'round the mountain,_  
_She'll be coming 'round the mountain when she comes, (when she comes)._

_She'll be ridin' six white horses when she comes, (when she comes)_

_She'll be ridin' six white horses, she'll be ridin' six white horses,_

_She'll be ridin' six white horses when she comes!_

Chris chuckled at the boys' out of tune rendition and soon Tom poked Chris to join. At first he shook his head as if to say it's silly but just when Alex was about to sing the song a third time, Chris relented. And they kept singing campfire songs the whole way until Chris safely parked.

This was the first time in a year, Chris felt so carefree and genuinely happy. All of his worries and stress was long forgotten and everything seemed bright again. He wasn't sure if his friendship with Tom has made him feel this way but his positive energy was too damn infectious to ignore anyways. As soon as they were ready for the pool, the boys scrambled to the water slides.

"That looks like fun!" Tom exclaimed at the top of his voice, tugging on Chris's arms.

Chris cringed. "That's a water slide! It's for kids!"

"There's always the bigger one!" Tom pointed to a taller water slide to their right.

"Wha- No. Tom – I – don't…"

"Come on!" Tom beckoned, without giving Chris a chance to protest. He ran towards the slide, turning slightly to see if Chris followed. He gave a cheeky smile before climbing up the ladder. "Come on! Stop being a spoil sport Chris!"

Chris growled. He wasn't sure why he followed Tom instead of walking away. Tom had already climbed onto the ladder and shouted for Chris to hurry. He climbed up grudgingly and placed two hands on his hips when he reached at the top.

"You know, we're no longer kids!" Chris half-shouted as Tom steered him towards the entrance of the slide tunnel.

"This is hardly necessary!" he protested and with that Tom pushed him into the tunnel. Chris yelped as he slid down, head first. He coughed as the water rushed towards him, flailing his arms around himself in a weak attempt to regain control of his own speed.

But he was too late.

He dived into the pool head first and panicked. The water rushed into his ears, drowning out any sounds. Chris kicked his way up, turning and tumbling, trying to get himself upright. It's been quite some time since he swam. He could hear a dull splash towards his left as he hurriedly came up to the surface.

"What the fuck was that for?" Chris yelled, angrily splashing the water.

"Oi! Calm down!" Tom held out his hands. Chris let out a frustrated cry and swam away. He pushed himself out of the pool and marched to the opposite side of the pool.

Tom caught up with him. "Chris! Hey! Wait up!" Tom ran around him, blocking his path. "Fine. I'm sorry okay!" He relented, holding his arms out as if to prevent Chris from leaving. He knew he shouldn't have pushed Chris down that tunnel without giving him a heads up. But what's the point of being spontaneous when you second guess most of the time?

"Yeah that was a dick move dude!" Chris shoved him away, glaring at the crowd who gaped at him as he yelled.

"I know, I know," Tom apologised, grabbing Chris by the wrist.

"Let go of me."

Tom shook his head, stubborn. "Not until you let this matter go."

"I said let go of me!" Chris pried his fingers away but Tom held onto his shoulder instead. "Dude! Shove off!" Using brute force, Chris shoved Tom away. Tom was flung back into the pool, disappearing into the water with a noisy splash. As he watched the consequences of his actions in horror, Chris knew he may be overreacting. He waited for Tom to resurface but he didn't. Panic began to overtake him as he crouched at the edge. "Come on Tom! Don't play games with me!" he cried out desperately.

"Water fight!" Tom bellowed as he shot out of the water, pulling Chris into the pool with him.

* * *

By the time they came out of the water park all giddy with their hair drenched, the sun had begun to set. Luke and Alex were still hitting one another's water gun arguing to prove whose is better. Chris promptly took the guns away. "That's enough." He threw the guns into the back of the truck before turning towards the boys, "I need some cheeseburgers, and anybody else wants one?"

"Yes please!" Tom and the boys shouted in unison. Chris raised an eyebrow up to Tom. As much as he likes the guy, his actions are quite puzzling. The words he uttered were probably the wisest ones Chris had ever heard but when it comes to the kids and his actions, he is probably the most childish adult Chris had ever met. Not that it bothered him, but it's surprising that someone his age, who is also a father of one, could find so much joy by being a child himself. _Maybe he's just deprived of a childhood, _Chris thought.

He was quiet when they dropped Luke off. Chris found it weird that he didn't even acknowledge Tom's presence and vice versa.

"You wanna stay for beer?" Chris asked once Alex bounded up the stairs.

Tom made a face, "You know I hate beer. But a glass of milk is good."

Chris raised his eyebrows at that. _Who hates beer?!_ "Alex, get into the shower and straight to bed alright?!" Chris shouted as he pulled the fridge open. They could Alex's muffled 'Yes' through the walls. Tom muttered his thanks as Chris handed him his glass of milk.

"Can I ask you a question?" Chris asked, cracking his can of beer open. He guzzled the cold drink down, letting out a satisfied sigh as the drink quenched his throat.

"Shoot!" Tom replied, curious as to what Chris will ask him next. Before he could even say anything, Chris chuckled and pointed to his upper lip. Tom looked at him questioningly before realising that a moustache of milk had formed above his lips. He threw his head and laughed at himself before licking it off.

"You said you wanted to ask me a question," he reminded Chris, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Oh yeah..." Chris faltered, remembering, "Uh... Well I know this is none of my business but what happened between you and Ellie?"

"What do you mean?" Tom asked innocently, grabbing a piece of cookie from a jar.

Chris shrugged. He didn't want to overstep the boundary but Tom's 'relationship' with Ellie and Luke baffled him. He has never seen Luke interact with Tom ever nor does Tom ever attempt to talk neither to Luke nor to Ellie.

"Like how did you guys end things?" Chris asked nervously.

"How do you even end things when they never started?" Tom replied. He drank his milk again, not liking where this conversation is going. He still has no idea why Chris kept insisting Luke is related to him.

_Right,_ Chris thought. He wasn't sure if Ellie was ever married. Perhaps she had a one night stand and it ended there. "I still think it's wonderful you try to make it up to your son even if he doesn't reciprocate much," Chris spoke after a long and awkward pause.

"My son?!" Tom said in disbelief.

"Uh yeah... Luke?"

"Chris, I don't know where you get this idea from but Luke isn't my son nor am I married to Ellie," Tom explained desperately. "You don't understand Chris, they can't see me Chris. They don't need me, unlike you and Alex. I'm nothing to them." Tom was desperate for Chris to see this – to see that he's not just another human being.

Chris on the other hand, didn't take the hint. A sudden sadness weighed down his heart as Tom's words sunk in. He stared at Tom's weary face and finally understood. It suddenly reminded him of himself.

Tom let out a sigh of relief, _I hope that clears things up._ But he couldn't help noticing that Chris's crestfallen face. He was about to ask what's wrong when Chris thumped a hand on his shoulder.

"I know how you feel," he whispered, his voice barely audible.

"Alex's not my son either."

* * *

The old mustang chugged along the lonely road. Johnny Cash was crooning at the top of his voice as the driver adjusted his position in his seat. The air conditioner had broken down just when he entered the borders of Nebraska. The driver wound down the windows to have some ventilation but it was futile. The humid air greeted him and the wind was warm and heavy. Beads of perspiration trickled down his face as he hummed to the song.

5 miles later, the driver could see the sign, "Welcome to Alma! Enjoy your stay!"

He grinned to himself as he sped up. If he hurried, he could still be in time. He briefly glanced at his wrist watch.

9.30pm it read. _Good, he'll be up._

*  
"Alex is not..." Tom mouthed, unable to finish his sentence. He couldn't bear to. He could only imagine how much hurt Chris had to carry around. He was hit by disequilibrium and everything suddenly seemed absurd.

"When... How?" Tom blurted out, searching Chris's face.

Chris shrugged, averting Tom's gaze. He cracked open another beer and downed it in one swig.

"It's a long story," he mumbled. He brought another unopened can and walked out of the kitchen. The night was quiet but humid. The crickets were loud and no sign of breeze. Chris settled onto one of the swings as he stared ahead.

Tom followed suit and spoke, "You do know you can tell me anything right?"

Chris nodded. He had never told anyone this. He wasn't even sure if he wants to tell Tom. He rubbed his eyes, letting out a deep sigh and rested his forehead onto the cool metal chain of the swing.

"Coraline… Coraline had an affair. I didn't even know it until the night she died," Chris muttered. He lightly kicked back and began to swing. "We had a huge row that night. She wasn't happy that I wanted to think about where this marriage is going. I was going through some confusing things personally and she was hurt by it…"

Tom had the urge to probe what 'confusing things' Chris was referring to but bit his tongue.

"So she said, 'Good! Fine! That's good since Alex is not even yours!'" Chris mimicked her, laughing bitterly. "I know I was confused with my sexuality and everything, but, I still loved her you know. She was my first."

Tom gaped at him. All this is brand new to him and now he knew why Ruby was reluctant to have him work on this case. He wasn't sure how to even handle this. A part of him wanted to console Chris but at the same time, white hot rage shot through his veins.

"So, I just lost it. I started shouting at her, breaking things in the house. And then when she stormed out, I forced her to tell who the father was," by this time, Chris was choking back his tears.

"A – and, she told me it was my brother. My brother, Liam."

Silence blanketed them, leaving only the crickets' song to accompany the night. Tom held Chris's hands in his, hoping that it will give him strength. "I'm so sorry," he whispered.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything," a voice came from behind. "But even if you want to have a romantic time on the swings, the kid's in the house ain't he? It's not appropriate."


	7. Chapter 7

Tom dropped Chris's hand like hot coals and turned to the speaker. His eyes were wide and curious, his heart beating like drums as he tried to make his thoughts coherent.

_Who are you? You can see me too?_

A man with a lanky physique greeted him. He had brown hair, bushy eyebrows and looked familiar somehow. The stranger smirked at Tom before turning his attention to Chris who still has his back to him. Chris gripped onto the chains tightly till his knuckles gone white. Sparks of rage shot up his nerves as he abandoned the swing belt. The chains jangled noisily as he did.

"You have the nerve to set foot on my property?" Chris growled, his voice ice cold.

The man snickered, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "Technically it's '_ours_' Chris. The farm included. Dad left everything to us equally. Or have you forgotten his will?"

_He's Liam. The brother._

"Oh so you're not gonna mention how you knocked up my wife and ran across the country to hide for years?!" Chris spat, balling up his fists.

Liam snorted, "Your wife? Your dead wife who you couldn't even sati-"

Chris charged forward, rugby tackling Liam down. The brothers wrestled as Tom watched helplessly on the side. Chris managed to overpower his brother, straddling his hips before throwing punches to Liam's face mercilessly. Liam made no attempt to block the blows but instead chuckled bitterly every time Chris hit him, sputtering blood onto the ground. He didn't want Chris to have the satisfaction of hurting him.

"Chris, that's enough!" Tom cried, prying him away. Chris shoved him off, causing him to stumble back and land on his bottom. Tom had a sudden surge of anger that he had never felt before. He scrambled back up on his feet, charged forwards and tackled Chris off his brother. "I said that's enough!" He yelled. Tom wrapped his arms around Chris tightly, using all of his strength to hold him down. Liam was sprawled, using the back of his hand to wipe away the blood. As soon as he caught sight of Chris and Tom, he smirked tauntingly at Chris.

"Dad? Tom?"

Chris immediately stopped struggling in Tom's brace. Standing on the back porch with his dishevelled hair and rumpled white pyjamas, Alex rubbed his eyes as they adjusted to the scene in front of him. He was woken up by the shouting and the scuffling. Tom was sort of hugging a very reluctant Chris and to their left, Liam was crouched on all fours, coughing up blood onto the ground.

"What's going on?" Alex squeaked. He was confused as to why his uncle Liam was there and had a terrible gut feeling.

"Your so called dad was having a moonlit romance at the sw-"

"Why you fuc-" Chris growled, managing to get his arms free from Tom's embrace and clawing out to reach Liam. Tom struggled to keep his ground. "Chris!" he warned urgently. "Not in front of Alex please!"

Chris froze and stared at Tom, his anger slowly dissipating. He gave a formidable glare to Liam before turning towards Alex. "It's nothing buddy. Go back to bed."

* * *

Alex rubbed his eyes as Chris tucked him in. Tom had managed to calm the brothers down and now Liam was sitting in the kitchen despite Chris's protests while Chris had carried Alex off to this room. Chris switched off the lights and was about to close the door when Alex spoke, "Dad, why's Uncle Liam here?"

The light from the hallway only allowed Alex to see his father's silhouette but not his face. Alex could see his dad's shoulder move. "I don't know buddy," he said, his voice defeated.

"Don't let him take me away again Dad," Alex pled. He sounded so small and afraid that it made Chris's heart ached. He gripped the door tightly as the words sunk in. Chris was too angry to ask when did he ever meet Liam but he had a feeling Coraline must have brought him.

"I won't Alex. I won't let him."

In his seven years of living, Alex had only met his Uncle Liam three times. The first time was when he's 4. He didn't remember much of that meeting but the only thing that stood out was Liam bringing him to a swing set and they kept playing for hours. That was the day when Alex knew he loved being up in the air.

The second time was when he's 5. Again Liam brought him swinging and he could vaguely remember his mother arguing heatedly with Liam before snatching him away from the swing, sending the swing rattling at the sudden abandonment. He could remember Liam's devastated face as his mother carried him away.

The most recent one was last year, 1 week before his mother died. She had brought him to a diner in another town and they ate pancakes before Liam joined them.

_"Come away with me Cora," Liam begged. His eyes flicked towards Alex and then back to Coraline. "He looks just like you," he whispered wistfully._

_Coraline shrugged and instinctively hugged her son. As much as she wants to leave Chris, Liam wasn't exactly dependable. He fleets from town to town, state to state. He has no permanent home, no stable job which means no stable income. "How are we supposed to go with you when you have no money Liam?" Coraline replied exasperatedly. They have been going on about this again and again – every time they have met. She was getting tired of it._

_"If I take you both away, I'll change Cora. I'll change for you and Alex. I promise." He was desperate. Liam wanted her, needed her. He knew she chose Chris over him all those years ago was not because she loved Chris but to hurt him – to give him the message that he wasn't good enough for her. He had left her in a ditch as he was chased by drug dealers. Liam knew Coraline hadn't really forgiven him for that. If not for Chris who found her, she might have ended up dead._

_"I can't just leave Chris behind like that Liam. Your brother needs me..." _

_Liam clicked his tongue at her words. "He doesn't," Liam spat._

_"What do you mean?!"_

_Liam dug into his pocket and tossed 5 dollars to Alex. "Get us some taffy from the counter buddy." Alex took the money reluctantly and slid out of the booth. He watched Coraline's face that was lined with uncertainty before turning his back to her._

_"What do you mean by that Liam," Coraline hissed, keeping her voice low. Her eyes were on her son, slowly walking up to the counter, holding out the money to the cashier, asking for taffy._

_"I meant what I meant," Liam said grimly. "I saw him at a gay bar the other day."_

_"What?!" Coraline half-shouted, snapping her attention back to Liam, almost shooting out of her seat._

_"Keep your voice down!" Liam warned._

_"When did you see him, Liam?!" Coraline persisted._

_"A few nights ago."_

_Coraline slumped back into her seat, not realising Alex had returned, spreading the taffies that he had bought onto the table top. Her mind was reeling, running through labyrinths, getting lost. She didn't take notice of Chris's odd behaviour for the past few months but this… This explains why he couldn't…_

_Liam patted Alex's head awkwardly. He knew he had to give Coraline some time to digest this new information. Hopefully she'd agree this time. "Do you wanna come away with me buddy?"_

_Alex looked at Liam squarely in the eyes with his big blue ones before mouthing, "No." _

_"Your mom is coming! So why not?!" Liam asked again, having trouble suppressing his anger. He glanced briefly at Coraline who was still shocked and miles away._

_"Because my dad won't be coming," Alex said simply. He shrugged and scratched his head. He doesn't like the sound of this and had a feeling that his dad wouldn't be too._

_"Your dad doesn't want any of you," Liam growled, giving in to his frustration._

_"That's not true!" Alex argued. "If you take mom away, he'll need me!"_

_Liam grasped Alex by his shoulder tightly. "He doesn't!" He shouted to the small boy in his grasp. Moisture started to glisten over Alex's eyes and soon tears started pouring over his cheeks._

_By this time, everyone in the diner was staring at them, whispering amongst themselves and pointing to their booth. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Coraline yelled, snatching Alex away. "You dare hurt my son and you want me to come away with you?!" she raised her voice in disbelief._

_"Cora..." Liam stood up, trying to block her path, "Please… I – I- didn't mean to…"_

_ "Get out of my way!" Coraline shouted, shoving Liam aside, dragging Alex out of the diner._

_Alex could still remember that day clearly. He stopped crying almost immediately. But his mother had cried all the way home. She made him promise to never tell Chris what had happened before sending him to his room. She then made sure Chris was still in the fields before locking herself in the bathroom for a long hour._

* * *

Tom handed Liam a soaked towel to clean himself. Liam grabbed it reluctantly and started to wipe away the blood on his chin.

"You need ice," Tom said, observing Liam's bruised eye. He took out several cubes, placed them into a plastic bag before handing it to Liam. He muttered his thanks and let out a sigh of relief as the cold soothed his pain. He wasn't sure of Tom's intention for bringing him into the house but Liam kept his mouth shut. It has been so long since he set foot into his childhood home. The dining table was still the same and so were the kitchen cabinets.

"So what's your name again?" Liam spoke as he watched Tom washing the blood of his towel.

"Tom. My name is Tom and you're Liam," Tom answered matter-of-factly. There were so many questions Tom wanted to ask but he realised it wasn't wise. It was better if Chris was here. But it bothered him that Liam could easily see him without any work done. He wasn't sure what to make of this but one thing was apparent: the Hemsworths need him.

Heavy footsteps descended the stairs and shuffled their way into the kitchen. Tom nodded to Chris as he entered and pulled out a chair for him. "Sit," he commanded before taking another clean towel to soak. Chris did as he asked to and took the towel.

"Aaaaww, how sweet," Liam mocked, smirking as he watched Chris's face contort in anger.  
"Shut it," Tom warned and both brothers stared at him. Chris had never heard Tom angry before. He had always been joyful and carefree, never showing the other side of him. His voice was laced with quiet menace and somehow it scared him. Just a little.

"You're not going to brawl like a pair of gorillas under this roof, when Alex is upstairs sleeping. For his sake, be civilised."

"I will be if he gets out of my face," Chris muttered, averting Tom's piercing gaze.

"Listen to your boyfriend, Chris."

"I'm not his boyfriend!" "He's not my boyfriend!"

Both Chris and Tom raised their voices in protest at the same time. Liam raised his eyebrows as if to surrender. They both glared daggers at Liam. There was a long awkward pause before Chris broke the silence.

"Why are you here Liam?"

Liam shrugged in his seat, putting the ice pack down. "I wanted to see him... I wanted to see Alex," he explained.

Chris snorted, "After all these years and only now you want to see him?!"

"I've seen him before Chris. Just not when you're around! I've seen my son!" Liam banged the table.

Tom was about to shush them when Chris interrupted, "If you call yourself a father, you wouldn't have appear and disappear when you want to Liam! You have no right over Alex. He's mine!"

"He's not yours!" Liam shot back. "I have the DNA test to prove it!"

"Fuck your test! I raised him. I changed his diapers, I rocked him to sleep whenever he cries, and paid for his school fees, made sure he's all well. And where were you all these years?! Trying to make it big in Las Vegas by gambling? You think Alex needs all that?!"

"Alex needs his real father! Not someone who stalks off with another man and have a romantic moment when his son is asleep!" Liam snarled, throwing a disgusted look at Tom.

"Shut your hole, Liam!"

"So tell me, Chris, how does it feel like, bringing up your brother's bastard son this whole time and finally finding out that your wife had cuckolded you for the past 6 years of your life?!"

"You, FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT!" Chris bellowed, flipping the table and clawing at Liam's shoulder.

Tom held Chris back. "I told you to stop fighting. STOP IT BEFORE I CALL THE POLICE!" Tom hissed desperately. He couldn't pick up the phone and call the police. They won't hear him much less get the call even. He knew that but he didn't have any other choice. By this time, he half-expected Alex to be down, awoken by the ruckus again.

"Can't we all just talk like adults?!" Tom interjected, surprised at the words coming out of his own mouth. To be honest, he has no idea what does 'talk like adults' mean but he was pretty sure it doesn't involve name calling, vulgarities and shouting. "Sit down! Both of you!"

The brothers sat down again, seething, as Tom propped the dining table back up. "If you both admit yourselves as Alex's father, act like one. He doesn't need brawling trolls in his life."

"Who are you calling trolls?!" Liam interjected.

"Keep acting like one then," Tom huffed, folding his arms as he sat on his stool.

"Why come in the night, making such a ruckus now Liam?! You know I'm tired of all this bullshit of yours."

Liam grunted, rubbing his face as if exasperated. He was tired too. He wanted to scream and let out all of his frustration. He wanted Coraline. He needed her.

"My bullshit Chris?" Liam sneered, as he looked up to his elder brother. Who knew they were once best friends? Inseparable even. "What about yours? You took Coraline away from me even when you knew she was mine. And then along the way, you decide to like guys now?! What bullshit is that?!"

Chris gaped at Liam. "Coraline told you?" his voice soft and distant.

"No," Liam answered reluctantly. "I saw you at a gay bar across town."

"When?"

"2 weeks before Coraline died," Liam clenched his fists, remembering Coraline's reaction on the day they met at the diner.

"I won't deny it, Liam. I'm confused with myself brother but… but…"

"But what?!" Liam interrupted, impatiently.

"I was there to collect money," Chris admitted. He was ashamed, truly.

"Collect money?! What money?!"

Chris heaved a deep sigh before explaining, "Before dad died, he invested an amount of money… Thing is, Paul, his old mate didn't tell him what kind of business he's investing in. Little did he know that it's a night entertainment business. He didn't include it in the will because he didn't have the time. After their funeral, Paul came to me with a cheque of $500, since I was the only one in town. And the cheque came monthly."

Silence befell them as Chris's words sunk in.

"Dad invested in a gay bar and he doesn't know?" a short chuckle escaped Liam's lips, filling the kitchen with soft laughter. Chris laughed too.

"That totally sounds like him," Liam chortled. Chris could only nod, chuckling at the idea of his poor dad wanting a side income and then being tricked into something 'shady'. And then he slowly realised that it has been years since he had laughed with Liam, agreeing to what he says. It brought back fond memories and melted away his anger. A tiny part of him was still angry but he loved Liam regardless of whatever he had ever done.

A hint of a smile slowly carved onto Tom's face as the brothers laughed. He loved the sound of laughter. It was his favourite thing in the world Laughter meant happiness, joy and hilarity even if it's temporary. He could see the warmth emitting from those laughs, the memories that came with them, erasing sadness, disappointment and hatred away. He knew this was going to be a difficult journey ahead. There's so much left to do. And getting the brothers to get along for Alex was only the beginning.


	8. Chapter 8

"You mean everyone can see you now?" Ruby exclaimed as soon as Tom finished reporting to her.

"No," Tom hurriedly explained, "The Hemsworths only... All three of them can see me."

Ruby nodded, waving it off. "Wow. I've never had a case where the entire family can see one of us before..." her voice trailed. She has heard of it of course but it was rare. Definitely rare for someone like Tom who just specialises in children.

"What do I do Ruby? I love a new challenge but this... This is really huge! Where do I start? How do I help them? What do they need?!" Tom babbled, flustered at all of this. The whole ruckus the Hemsworths made the night before was enough to scare him out of his wits. He didn't want it to repeat again.

Ruby put out a hand as if to stop Tom's never ending rant. "Calm down Tom. I'm sure we can guide you in this... But so far, you did the right thing. Calming them down and making them talk things out is the first step." She gave him an empathetic look as her hands squeezed his. "Adult friendships are always hard. I've been there."

Tom nodded helplessly. He was sure Ruby had many experiences. But according to her, adult friendships are much more complex than children. Emotions, motives and issues get in the way. When he left the previous night, Chris had reluctantly let Liam stay in the house. His old room was now Alex's so he had to use the guest room. Tom knew he has to be there when morning comes. God knows what Liam might do to trigger Chris's temper again. Liam irritates the hell out of him but he could sense that all he needed was attention and someone to listen to him. Just like Chris.

"I'm here if you need anything, Tom," Ruby assured him, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Sure," Tom replied. He was about to stand and leave when a nagging thought hit him. He sat back down hastily.

"Ruby... What's a boyfriend?"

Ruby widened her eyes at Tom's question. "You don't know?"

"I... do..." Tom faltered nervously, "Just not too sure the connotations the term carries really." He shrugged and slumped back. _Adult relationships and their lingo will be the death of me._

A soft giggle escaped from Ruby's lips, making Tom smile. "Oh dear... Boyfriend is usually for a special someone... A lover to be precise," Ruby explained. Her eyes twinkled mischievously as she spoke with a hint of amusement on her lips.

"A lover..." he repeated. Tom instantly blushed at the thought and could feel his ears turn hot. He wasn't sure why but the term brought so many inappropriate suggestions to mind. "Oh my goodness. That's just... Oh my…" Tom sputtered, embarrassed. He covered his crimson face with his hands, not wanting Ruby to see him like this.

More laughter could be heard as Ruby left her chair and came around to give Tom a sisterly hug. "Oh you naive little thing," she whispered, still chuckling.

Tom laughed nervously. "But I'm not... I'm not... you know..."

Ruby pulled away, cupping Tom's burnt cheeks, "Oh I know. I know." She winked at him and giggled some more before sitting on her desk. "Having said that Tom," her tone became serious and Tom's ears perked up to listen. "It's wise to not form any romantic feelings with anyone."

Tom shrugged. "You don't have to worry about that Ruby," Tom assured her. "I'm not even sure I know how to..." he instantly blushed again and waved it off – embarrassed at the way he left the sentence hanging. It didn't sound decent. He wanted to rectify what he just said but couldn't think of anything to say.

Ruby could only beam. "I'm just saying," she teased before shooing Tom out of her office.

* * *

Chris was too exhausted to even speak to Liam yesterday night. He checked that Alex was still asleep before retiring to his own room. He didn't even bother checking in on Liam. He's an adult. He could take care of himself. This morning was absolutely awkward for them but Alex wanted pancakes and Chris managed to avert any conversations with his brother by throwing himself in cooking.

"You love pancakes?" Liam asked Alex. The boy nodded vigorously as he drummed his fingers on the table.

"I love them too," said Liam pensively. Then an idea hit him, "What's your favourite vehicle Alex?"

"Aeroplanes!"

"I love them too!" Liam quipped. "They can fly!"

Alex grinned and it warmed Liam's heart. His innocent smile reminded him of Coraline and how he used to be the reason why she's happy. He wanted to make amends and having a good rapport with his own son is the first step.

Chris pretended not to pay attention when Liam and Alex continue to banter. He could feel an odd sense of jealousy and at the same time an urge to protect Alex. Chris managed to suppress them, reminding himself that if Liam claims that he just wanted to see Alex, then he wouldn't hurt his own son. When Chris was done, a tall golden tower of pancakes was ready. He took out the maple syrup from the fridge before placing the stack on the dining table.

"Alex, get the plates and the utensils," Chris instructed.

"Why are you making the kid do the job?"

"Why can't I?" Chris countered, annoyed.

Liam had half a mind to tell Chris to stop commanding his kid but remembered that Alex didn't know what's going on. "Dude. You have your hands – do it yourself."

"I can do it Uncle Liam," Alex interrupted. He left his seat and started to set the table, shooting Liam an annoyed look. He wasn't sure what the big deal is.

"Well in case you haven't noticed, I'm trying to teach my son responsibility. So if you don't mind..."

Liam bit back a retort and grudgingly accepted a plate from Alex.

"Eat."

When Tom arrived at the Hemsworths, all three of them were sitting around the battered dining table devouring a stack of pancakes each.

"Tom!" Alex called out, spotting Tom at the backdoor. Liam barely looked at him and continued munching on his breakfast. Chris nodded grimly at him and Tom could tell that from his expression Liam had ticked him off again and was just bottling up his emotions for Alex's sake.

Alex jumped off his chair before running towards Tom, giving him a hug around his midriff.

"Hey you," Tom greeted him, bending to return the hug.

"Pancakes, Tom?" Chris asked, holding out an empty plate. Tom politely declined.

"It's okay. I've had breakfast... I'm here to just check on Alex. He glanced from Chris to Liam. "Is everything alright?" But both kept mum. Tom had lowered himself to his knees as Alex tugged on the hem of his shirt.

"Did you sleep well Alex?" It was Tom's way of checking if his fathers had brawled when he left. If they had, Alex would have complained about it. But instead, Alex nodded, "Yes I did!"

Despite the racket yesterday night, Alex had slept so soundly. Chris's assurance that he won't let Liam take him was enough to make him feel at ease and safe. He dreamt of Coraline that night, smiling and laughing, poking for Chris to stop telling his jokes. They were in the truck – all three of them. Chris was driving with the windows down. The wind swept their hair back, cooling the humidity. Alex didn't know where they were going in the dream but he knew he didn't want it to end.

"Dad is gonna send me over to Ellie's today. He said he has some work to do. You wanna come along with me?" Alex asked Tom innocently. It had been some time since he played with Tom. He missed his best friend.

Tom ruffled his hair, smiling warmly. "I'm not sure I can buddy..." He shot a concerned look over to Chris who returned him a solemn look. Tom knew he wanted to talk things out with Liam. Tom had a strong gut feeling that there'd be a brawl again and sending Alex away would avoid him witnessing anything ugly. He wasn't sure whether to watch over Alex and Luke or his fathers. Truth be told, he was more worried for the adults. At least the kids will have Ellie.

Chris's fork clattered against the plate as he swallowed the last of his pancake. "Buddy, I think Uncle Tom is going to stay with me this time. You'll have fun with Luke," he said before chugging down a mug of coffee.

Alex's face fell and his eyes searched Tom's face, wanting him to say otherwise. But Tom knew Chris needed him more. Probably to hold him off whenever he feels like punching the hell out of Liam. Tom shook his head, defeated, at Alex before ruffling his hair again. "Maybe next time okay?"

Alex nodded unenthusiastically. "Okay."

* * *

"Liam? He's back in town?" Ellie asked in disbelief. The last time she saw him was a year ago, before Coraline's death. She wasn't sure if Chris knew of Liam's affair with his wife. Liam and he weren't exactly on good terms even before Chris married Coraline. Liam's drug abuse was well-known across town. So when she found out that Coraline ended up marrying Chris, Ellie was relieved that her friend made the right choice. But that feeling didn't last long.

Chris rolled his eyes before nodding his head grimly. "Yup. He's back alright."

"I hope you two can work things out," said Ellie earnestly. She had grown to care about Chris and she hated the fact that his volatile brother is back to screw things upside down. Chris shrugged at her comment, giving her a small hint of a smile. He was fond of Ellie but something was telling him that she knew something she shouldn't have. Chris wondered if she knew of Liam's affair with Coraline but brushed it off. Even if she knew, who is he to be angry at her or even pin the blame on her?

"If you need anything, just give me a call," said Chris before waving goodbye to Alex.

* * *

"I've never seen you in town before," Liam lamented, eyeing Tom. He had poured himself cup of coffee and had observed Liam eating his pancakes until Liam felt harassed. Chris had left him behind with Liam.

"Doesn't mean I don't exist," Tom replied simply. "I haven't seen you around either."

"I've out and about," Liam said, waving his fork around before its sharp ends land on a piece of his breakfast. He popped the last piece of his pancake into his mouth before wiping his lips with a napkin.

"Where?" Tom asked curiously. Liam cocked an eyebrow up as he put down the napkin beside his plate. _He's a weirdo this one._ "Across the country... Las Vegas."

Tom's lips curved downwards as his brain tried to work out where Las Vegas is located. "What were you doing there?"

"Uh... I..."

"Gambling," said Chris, finishing his brother's sentence. A frown was carved on his forehead as he dragged a chair out of the table, twirling it around to face both Liam and Tom. He sat with his hands resting on the back of the chair. Liam shot him a derisive look.

"Trying to make a fortune more like," he corrected.

And Tom shot another question innocently, "Why don't you just get a job?"

"Yes, Liam. Why _didn't _you get a job like a normal person?" Chris enunciated, his words dripping with sarcasm.

"Because," Liam explained impatiently, "When someone insists that only _he_ can work on the family inheritance and convinces me that I am a good for nothing, my self-esteem is crushed."

"What bullshit is that?!" Chris chided, raising his hands up.

"Well Chris, unlike you, I didn't finish High School since you stole my gir-"

"That's enough," Tom asserted. "Enough of this nonsense. Please. You two are adults. What I'm listening to is what two emotionally unstable teenagers would say to each other."

"Who are you to be a mediator anyways?" Liam argued.

"He's here because we both know that without him, I'd have killed you with my bare hands by now," Chris muttered.

Liam clenched his fists but said nothing. What Chris said was true. He'd be dead right now if Tom wasn't there to intervene.

"I couldn't get a stable job ok?!" Liam said defensively. "All I could do was to be a kitchen hand or some temp cashier at a Walmart. Nobody wants me." His voice went soft at the end as if he was helpless and there was nothing he could do about it. "I thought with gambling I could make it big and finally take care of my son. I... I wanted to be responsible Chris. I really did. I was prepared to get beaten up and all by you when I come and tell you but... but Cora made a valid point. Alex would be better off with you..."

"And he is." Chris huffed and turned away from Liam. It was too painful to even look at him right now.

"You still haven't told me why you decide to come out of the blue," Chris said, twiddling his thumbs. His knuckles ached and his fingers were sore from last night. A slow migraine was creeping onto his scalp, making him cringe whenever it throbs. He instinctively reached the back of his neck and massaged it lightly.

"I told you Chris. I just wanted to see Alex," Liam insisted. Tom noticed the dilation in Liam's pupils when he said that. Liam was hiding something and Tom wasn't comfortable.

"Fine," said Chris. "You've seen him. Now leave." He cracked his knuckles, avoiding Liam's wild gaze as the words sunk in.

"You can't kick me out of my own house Chris."

"This is not your house," said Chris simply. "This is _my_ house. I took care of everything in the house ever since the day dad died and you were nowhere to be seen."

"My name is on that will. I have every right to this house as you," Liam persisted. "Are you going to kick me out on the streets?!"

Chris didn't answer. Instead he stood up, put back the chair to the table and began to walk away from Liam.

"Chris. Please," Liam pled. There was something in his voice that made him stop in his tracks. Liam's voice was soft and pained and it was almost as if to say that he's at the brink and he needed help. Despite his anger, Chris could feel the pain in Liam's voice tugging onto his masochistic heart, making it ache. It had been a very long time since he felt the need to protect his younger brother.

"Tell me why you're here Liam. Tell me and maybe, just maybe, I'll let you stay." Chris didn't want to go back and forth on all this. He was tired of playing mind games. Liam has to straighten up and prove his worth.

There was a long pause. Liam had heaved a deep sigh as he slacked against his chair. A million thoughts and scenarios ran through his mind as he imagined himself telling the truth. He could only wonder what Chris's reaction would be like. He glanced at Tom who had been observing them both before making eye contact with Chris.

"You really wanna know the truth?" he asked. This time he sounded weak – as if he's ready to give up his entire tough act and just let go.

Chris could only fold his arms, awaiting for the big moment of truth.

Liam heaved another deep sigh. "I'm here to see Alex because…" he hesitated and he could see Chris wanting to just leave when he paused.

He has to say it. He has to let Chris know.

"I'm… I'm dying Chris."


	9. Chapter 9

_"Mr Hemsworth, how long have these symptoms been present?"_

_The woman in front of him pulled his hand toward her and strapped the blood pressure belt around his right bicep before pumping it. Her eyes were fixed upon the scale as she pumped and slowly released it. Liam could almost hear the whirring of the gears in her brain as he watched her intent face._

_"The headaches or the fainting spells?" he asked sheepishly, feeling the uncomfortable pressure on his bicep. He didn't like being attended by a female. It made him look weak and pathetic._

_"Both." The woman's hazel eyes left the scale and focused on his face with a blank expression._

_"Uh..." Liam hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck with his other hand. "For a few months now? Though it's been frequent these few weeks."_

_She nodded, acknowledging his answer, her face betraying no emotions. Unstrapping the belt, the woman removed it before scribbling some notes onto her clipboard._

_"We need to send you for a MRI scan just in case."_

_"You can't tell me what's going on?" Liam didn't like the sound of this. He has never heard of this scan the woman was talking about._

_"No, Mr Hemsworth," the woman said carefully. "I may be a doctor but without concrete evidence, I can't diagnose you and advise treatment." Liam could tell she was trying to be sincere but she appeared to be cold and irritated. He wanted to take offence but decided to suppress it. Liam only wanted to solve his problems, not argue with a doctor about her competencies._

_"So with this scan you'll be able to tell me what's going on?"_

_"We'd be able to see your brain activity and perhaps detect what has been causing you those migraines and fainting spells." She scribbled something onto a slip of paper and passed it to Liam. "Hand it over to the counter later." Liam's puzzled look caught her attention and she softened. "Mr Hemsworth. It's probably nothing. We just want to make sure of that."_

_Oh how wrong she was._

* * *

_There it was again - that heavy throbbing at the back of his head. Liam grunted as he held up a hand to massage the sore spot. A part of him wanted to scream, hurl out vulgarities, and punch on the walls till they break. The news had broken him down into pieces. Liam turned in his bed, pushing the pillow against his face, but the throb at the back of his head didn't allow him to rest._

_He couldn't understand what the doctor was explaining to him the few hours before. He couldn't even spell out the words cerebellum and meninges when she diagnosed him. All he knew was that he has brain tumour and the cancer was at stage 4. The most advanced. And time was running out for him. 6-7 months maximum._

_He thought about his meeting with Coraline and how he had hurt her and his son. A sudden pang of guilt shacked itself to him. And Chris just had to flash before his eyes. He had cuckolded his own brother and let him take care of his bastard son as his own. Liam growled in pain and threw away the pillow. He painstakingly sat up before reaching for his mobile phone._

_The phone clicked as he unlocked the screen. Instinctively, his fingers danced across the keypad, naturally keying in Coraline's number. It was late and he had a feeling Coraline would answer. He listened to the monotonous droning of the dial three times before she picked up._

_"Cora? Hey. I know I caught you at a – "_

_There was a sob and a hiccup at the other end of the line. "Li-liam."_

_Liam's ear perked up. What the hell is going on? "Cora? Are you crying? Cora, what's going on?" He could hear some zooming sounds and he figured Cora was either on the road or outside the house._

_"Li-liam," Coraline choked. "I – I – I told him Liam. I – told him about Alex."_

_Liam shot straight up from the bed. "What?!" His voice went up higher, "What did you do that for?!"_

_Coraline sniffed loudly. "I – I – don't know. We fought about him at the gay bar and I – I – was so angry. I le – le – let it all out." Another loud zooming sound was heard and Liam got worried._

_"Cora, if you're driving right now, I suggest you stop. It's not safe."_

_"Don't tell me what I can or cannot do Liam!" Coraline screamed into the phone._

_"I'm not!" Liam hurriedly said, grimacing at her tone. It made his throbbing headache worse but he didn't want her to do anything drastic. "Cora, calm down okay? Just talk to me. "_

_There was another loud sob at the other end and then a deafening crash._

* * *

"You're what?!" Chris said. His voice soft. It was as if he didn't want the world around him to collapse, like everything is now tipped on a delicate scale. One wrong move would render everything destroyed. The strain in his face was gone and was now replaced by concern.

Liam avoided his gaze and looked down to the floor, ashamed. "Got diagnosed last year. Stage 4 brain cancer..."

There was hushed silence in the kitchen. Tom was still processing what just happened. This was all happening too fast. A million questions were running through Chris's and Tom's minds. Each of them was confusing. Their thoughts were jumbled and not making any sense.

"Can't you go for surgery or chemo?" Chris asked, breaking the silence. His voice sounded small and pained and it only made Liam feel worse. He dreaded the day when he had to tell Chris. Liam contemplated on coming for Coraline's funeral that day. It was only a few days since he found out then. But he knew this day would come, even if it was as bitter than it already is. More so, perhaps.

Liam let out a bitter laugh. "You think I have money for all that? Hah. Besides it's too late." He couldn't help but gulp as he uttered 'too late'. Doctors didn't even try to pacify him. He only has 30% of surviving if he were to go for surgery. The cancer had spread to the cerebellum and meninges and the likelihood of him surviving meant that he'd be a vegetable.

Chris was lost for words. He was too numb to even react. _Too late. He was too late._ He thumped his hand onto his brother's shoulder, tears welling up in his eyes and his face was crestfallen. Try as he might, there was a twinge of regret for the physical violence last night. The very thought of losing Liam weighed his masochistic heart down heavily. Liam was the only other family he has besides Alex. "I'm so sorry," was all he could choke out.

Liam covered his hand with his own. "I'm sorry too." He broke down as he leaned forward, pressing his face against Chris's midriff. The despair Chris felt was overwhelming. It was like a beast had clawed at his heart, leaving it mangled. Kneeling in front of his brother, Chris pulled Liam into his brace, floodgates open. "You're not going anywhere… You're not going anywhere you hear me?"

Liam could only nod against the crook of Chris's neck.

* * *

The illness caused Liam to feel tired very easily even though at times he has bursts of energy. The bursts didn't last long though. The brothers agreed to keep Liam's illness from Alex. Tom was against it at first but considering the context and Alex's age, he agreed to it. If Liam wasn't roaming around the house, fiddling with the furniture or fixtures, he would be napping either in the guest room or just about anywhere. But when Liam is awake, he took the time to get to know his son, questioning him about things and sitting at the swings with his forehead resting on the metal chain. Chris had brought him up well. That's for sure. He wanted Chris to know that but it seemed to slip from his mind every time. His memory was slowly getting affected. Once he even forgot he was talking to Alex and just walked away from the boy. Tom was genuinely taken by surprise but was understanding. He explained to Alex that Liam was just tired and had a lot in his mind. To be honest, it was hard for him to not tell.

"He has a lot on his mind?" Tom nodded as Alex repeated his words. "What does that mean Tom?"

Tom shrugged, scratching the back of his neck, trying to form his words. "It means he's… thinking about things."

"What things?" Alex quipped again, his eyes wide with curiosity. This time, Tom was speechless. It was very hard for Tom to omit the truth, for he's trained to practice honesty with his friends.

"I don't know buddy. But it's best to be understanding and not pester Uncle Liam so much okay?" He ruffled Alex's hair before nudging him to go to the swings.

"Okay."

Chris was doing all he can. Liam had refused for any treatment. So the only thing he could do was be more accommodating. He had gone to the library to research more on Liam's condition, bringing stacks of paper printed from there to read at home. He was sure he couldn't do much but reading about it and understanding what his brother was going through was probably the only thing could do.

"Isn't there anything else we can do for him?" Tom asked Chris. He perched himself on the arm chair opposite to the one where Chris was laying on. Chris grunted and shuffled the paper away from his torso as he sat up. "I… I'm not sure Tom." He was so preoccupied with Liam that he failed to notice that Tom had been with them day in, day out, without fail. Chris shoved his fingers through his blonde hair as he slumped forward. "He refuses help. I... I just don't want to disrespect his wishes."

This time, it was Tom's turn to shrug. He pursed his bottom lip, brows furrowing as he thought long and hard. "You know," he spoke, "Maybe you can ask him what he wants to do… before you know… things gets worse." A part of him was afraid for saying things like that however Tom was certain Chris felt the same way. It's better to address the issue now rather than regret the things they didn't do while they had the chance.

"You're right," Chris sighed. His pale blue eyes met with Tom's and a tiny grateful smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "I don't know what I'd do without you." He really didn't. Without Tom, he wouldn't have known that Liam has been having memory lapses, nor would he now about Liam's stamina and fainting spells. The corn had to be harvesting and taking care of everything alone was taking a toll on him. "You know Tom, you don't have to trouble yourself. I mean… I appreciate it but I'm pretty sure you have other things to do."

At that Tom let out a dismissive snort, "Nonsense, Chris. I told you already, I am here because you need me. Your family needs me. Nothing more, nothing less." Tom scrutinised his hands as he spoke, "You can't keep everything from Alex forever you know. He has the right to know about the truth including Liam's illness."

"I know," Chris answered resignedly. Casting away the ominous reminder of the truth, Chris focused his attention elsewhere. "So… Liam…" he began. Chris tied his messy hair into a neat ponytail before saying, "He had always wanted to swim at this little creek near the edge of town. Our dad brought us once but he was too young to remember."

* * *

The air outside was crisp as sunlight peeked through the blinds of the Hemsworths' residence. It was still as early as 7am and no one was stirring.

"Cuck-a-doodle-doo!"

Alex, who had always been a light sleeper, cracked open an eye. Confusion clouded him. They don't have any cockerel.

"Cuck-a-doodle-doo!"

Alex rubbed his eyes and peeled away his sheets. Jumping out from bed, he padded to Chris's room. The door was slightly ajar and Chris too, just like Alex, has one eye open, slumber dust still thick on his eyelids. "What the hell is that?" he grunted. Alex's shoulders went up and down dramatically.

And again, "Cuck-a-doodle-doo!"

"Jesus!" Chris clambered out of his bed and opened the blinds, "Since when do we have a f- cockerel?!" When he looked down, he was greeted by Tom who was standing below their window with his hands cupping his mouth. "Cuck-a-doodle-doo!"

"What the hell?!" Liam shouted from the room to their right. The window slammed open and Liam's brunette head was seen poking out. "It's at the crack of dawn goddamnit!"

Satisfied that the Hemsworths are awake with their heads poking out of their respective windows, Tom chuckled and placed both hands on his hips. "Rise and shine Hemsworths! Today we're going to swim and have a picnic at the creek!"

It took them a few seconds to realise what Tom was talking about. "A creek?!" Alex asked, his voice excited and high pitched. Upon hearing Alex's excitement, Liam shouted to Chris whilst jabbing a finger to Tom's direction, "Is he talking about that creek dad brought us to almost 20 years ago?!"

"I guess," Chris said uncertainly, frowning at Tom and squinting against the bright sunlight.

"Of course I am! Now, get your sleepy bums downstairs. Always good to start early!"


End file.
